Adverse weather conditions are likely during the southwest monsoon which has commenced in Sri Lanka.
The Department of Meteorology said inclement weather can be experienced at the onset as well as during sporadic activations of the southwest monsoon.
The southwest monsoon usually begins in the third or fourth week of May and lasts until September.
The Southwest Monsoon contributes to almost 30% of the total annual rainfall of Sri Lanka while the western slopes of central hills receive 60-65% of annual rainfall from the Southwest monsoon.
The monsoon onset often triggers heavy rainfall, strong winds and southwest coastal erosion with large-scale impacts on fisheries, agriculture, infrastructure, economy, and livelihoods of the South-Western parts of Sri Lanka.
The Met Department said development of low pressure / cyclonic systems in the Bay of Bengal, convergence of monsoon winds, near sea level westerly wind burst (narrow strip with high westerly winds), and low-level trough in the vicinity of Sri Lanka are the major atmospheric factors contributing to the activation of the southwest monsoon over Sri Lanka.
Therefore, it is important to pay more attention to the changes in the weather over the island as well as surrounding sea areas, it warned.r,
The Department said it is closely monitoring the condition, and the general public and disaster management authorities are requested to be attentive regarding future forecasts issued by the Met Department in this regard. (NewsWire)