The prevailing warm weather will likely end in two weeks, with the monsoon expected sometime after mid-May, the Department of Meteorology reveals.  

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Department of Meteorology Director (Weather Forecasting and Decision Support) A.L.K. Wijemannage said: “With the commencement of the southwestern monsoon rains, the prevailing warm weather will dissipate. In about two weeks from now these warm conditions will fully disappear.”

Issuing a Heat Index Advisory for yesterday (4), the Department of Meteorology warned that the Heat Index was expected to increase up to ‘Extreme Caution’ levels at some places in the Northern, North Central, and Eastern Provinces.

It added that the heat was also expected to increase up to ‘Caution’ levels at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and North Western Provinces and in the Monaragala District. 

Wijemannage said that the monsoon season would commence mid this month: “We’re currently in the tail end of the intermonsoon period, which will typically end in a couple of weeks – around 15 May. While we are unable to provide a precise date for the activation of the southwestern monsoon, it will happen sometime between 15-25 May, although it could also happen earlier than this. 

“Nevertheless, on around 7,8, and 9 May, higher rainfall is likely, especially in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, and Southern Provinces, with higher chances of lightning as well.”

He noted that they were expecting above-normal rains during the upcoming southwestern monsoon. Accordingly, heavier rains are expected especially for the island’s southwestern region, including the Southern, Western, and Sabaragamuwa Provinces as well as the western slopes of the central hills of the Central Province. 

Further, he noted that this monsoon period was likely to bring rains to many other parts of the island, including the hydro catchment areas, which would also receive considerable rainfall. 

As of Friday (3), according to the Mahaweli Authority, a low level of active/effective storage was recorded for major hydropower reservoirs Kotmale and Castlereagh, while the storage capacities of Samanalawewa, Maussakelle, Victoria, and Randenigala stood at 55.6%, 22.6%, 29.2%, and 86.9%, respectively.