Hot, humid weather to end by mid-May: Met. Dept.

Colombo, May 4 (Daily Mirror) - The current hot, humid weather, which causes excess perspiration, is expected to end by the middle of this month with the onset of the southwest monsoon, the Department of Meteorology said today.

Director General, Department of Meteorology, Athula Karunanayake, said cool weather is expected around May 15. “We have come to the last stages of hot, humid weather,” he told Daily Mirror.

“The heat which the Sri Lankans experienced will end around May 15. Also, we are expecting the Southwest Monsoon to become active around the same time,” he said.

Mr Karunanayake said factors such as excess humidity, increased radiation, and reduction of wind flow had contributed greatly to the heat which was experienced by Sri Lankans in the recent past. Excess humidity in the atmosphere caused perspiration even during the night time. The excess humidity has been preventing the sweat from the human body to absorb into the atmosphere. The increased wind flow has been preventing forming of clouds in the sky above Sri Lanka. This has resulted in a dry spell in Sri Lanka for some weeks.

Also Mr Karunanayake said the evening showers which is experienced currently is expected to increase around May 8.

The heat was high in some places even today with Polonnaruwa recording 34c while Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee and Ratnapura recorded 33c.

Meanwhile, the Department of Meteorology forecast showers and thundershowers in several places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North Western, Eastern Provinces and in Polonnaruwa, Galle and Matara Districts. Fairly heavy falls over 50mm were expected in few places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa Provinces and Galle and Matara Districts.