South-West Monsoon Tightens Grip Across Sri Lanka

The south-west monsoon has officially established over Sri Lanka, bringing widespread showers, gusty winds and the threat of heavy rainfall to several parts of the island, the Department of Meteorology announced.

According to the Met Department, unsettled weather conditions are expected to continue over the south-western regions in the coming days, with persistent rain forecast for multiple provinces and districts.

Showers or thundershowers are expected at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western provinces, as well as in the districts of Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya. Meteorologists warned that some of these areas could receive fairly heavy rainfall exceeding 75 millimetres.

Meanwhile, isolated afternoon or evening thundershowers may also develop in parts of the Uva Province and in the districts of Ampara and Batticaloa after 1.00 p.m.

The Department further noted that fairly strong winds reaching speeds of 30 to 40 kilometres per hour can be expected at times over the western slopes of the central hills, along with the Northern, North-Central, North-Western and Southern provinces, and the Trincomalee district.

Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions against temporary localized strong winds, lightning and other weather-related hazards during thundershowers as the monsoon season begins to intensify across the island.