11 March 2018 07:11 pm
It said strong gusty winds up to 50-60 kmph could be expected particularly over the Northern, North-Western and Southern provinces and in the Anuradhapura District as a result.
Accordingly, it said that there is a possibility of having fairly strong gusty winds up to 40-50 kmph elsewhere in the country.
Meanwhile, showers or thundershowers would occur at times in the Northern, Eastern, Uva, Southern and Central Provinces.
Some places particularly in the Southern, Uva and Eastern Provinces and in Matale and Polonnaruwa Districts will experience heavy falls above 100 mm.
The Department said there could be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers and requested the general public to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
It also said due to the active cloudiness in the South-Western, Southern and South-Eastern sea areas, there is a high possibility of heavy showers, thundershowers and sudden roughness, associated with sudden increase of wind speed (up to 70-80 kmph) in the sea areas off the coast extending from Kalutara to Batticaloa via Galle, Hambantota and Potuvil.
"Wind speed will be 30-40 kmph around the Island and can increased up to (50-60) kmph in the sea areas off the coast extending from Pottuvil to Negombo via Trincomalee and Mannar, and in the sea area off the coast extending from Galle to Hambantota", it said.
Naval and fishing communities are requested to be vigilant of very strong gusty winds and very rough seas is expected during thundershowers. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)