Sri Lanka to face over 100mm of rainfall today

Newswire, Rupavahini News and Sri Lanka Mirror report that the Meteorology Department says an atmospheric disturbance close to Sri Lanka has strengthened into a low-pressure area. Newswire and Sri Lanka Mirror say the system is expected to increase rainfall over the island and surrounding deep and shallow waters on October 22. Newswire and Sri Lanka Mirror also ask the public, including naval and fishing communities, to keep track of further departmental forecasts and notices.

Newswire, Rupavahini News and Sri Lanka Mirror report intermittent showers or thunderstorms in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Northern, North-western and Southern provinces, and Anuradhapura District. They say other parts of the island may get rain after 1 p.m. Rainfall exceeding 100 mm is possible in some locations in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces, according to those outlets.

Newswire reports that winds over surrounding sea areas are expected from the west or southwest at 25–35 km/h, with speeds at times reaching 40–50 km/h in waters off the coast between Puttalam and Pottuvil, passing Colombo, Galle, Matara and Hambantota. Newswire says those waters could become fairly rough, while other sea areas are forecast to remain slight; thunderstorms may bring gusts of 60–70 km/h and very rough seas. Newswire and Sri Lanka Mirror report that the public was advised to take precautions against lightning and brief, localized strong winds.

Rupavahini News and Sri Lanka Mirror report that mist is possible in some parts of Central and Uva provinces in the early morning. Daily Mirror reports that an amber alert for severe lightning covers seven provinces and Kurunegala District, and remains in force until 1.30 a.m. on October 21.

Lankadeepa reports that the Meteorology Department’s director general linked expected heavy rain from the evening of October 20 to El Niño conditions. By contrast, Newswire, Rupavahini News and Sri Lanka Mirror report the October 22 rainfall outlook in relation to the low-pressure system.

Written automatically by AI from the outlets’ own reports, and not reviewed by an editor. It can be wrong — the original report is the authority.