Weather Alert: Heavy rainfall of up to 150 mm and severe lightning forecast

Sri Lanka’s Department of Meteorology forecast intermittent showers or thundershowers on the 16th in the Western, Southern, Central, Sabaragamuwa, North-Western and Northern provinces, as well as Anuradhapura District. Rain or thunderstorms were expected in other parts of the island after 1 p.m., according to Newswire and Rupavahini News.

The forecast said some locations in the Northern, Western and North-Western provinces, and in Galle, Matara, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee districts, could receive more than 100 mm of rain. Daily Mirror separately reported that heavy falls above that amount were likely in parts of the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Matara, Galle and Puttalam districts.

Lankadeepa reported that the National Building Research Organisation had identified landslide risk in eight districts because of the heavy rain. Newswire also reported an amber advisory for heavy rainfall, but its available report did not list the districts covered.

Rupavahini News reported that a strong-lightning advisory issued at 11 a.m. on the 15th remained valid until 1 a.m. on the 16th. It covered the North Central, Eastern, Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces, as well as Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Gampaha, Colombo and Kurunegala districts; temporary strong winds were also possible during thunderstorms. Forecasters urged people to take precautions against lightning and gusts.

Newswire said showers or thundershowers were also expected in several surrounding sea areas, with southwesterly or variable winds of 25–35 km/h. Winds could reach 50 km/h off the coast from Negombo to Mullaitivu via Puttalam and Kankesanthurai, where seas could be fairly rough; thunderstorms could bring gusts of 60–70 km/h and very rough seas. Rupavahini News also noted possible early-morning mist in parts of Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva.

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.