Sri Lanka braces for severe heat in July-August

Colombo, June 3 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka is expected to experience significantly hotter-than-normal weather conditions during July and August this year as the developing El Niño phenomenon begins to influence the global climate, the Department of Meteorology warned.

Speaking to Daily Mirror, acting Director General of Meteorology Ajith Wijemannage said Sri Lanka is currently experiencing the Southwest Monsoon season, but the impacts of El Niño are expected to become more pronounced in the coming weeks.

"We are currently in the Southwest Monsoon period. The El Niño situation is expected to affect us in July and August. Normally, rainfall decreases during these two months, but with the El Niño conditions developing, there could be very little rainfall. As a result, temperatures are likely to remain above average during July and August," Wijemannage said.

He noted that authorities are already preparing for the anticipated dry spell and higher temperatures, which could place pressure on water resources, agriculture, power generation and public health.

"In light of the situation, we are planning discussions with relevant stakeholders including the Disaster Management Centre, Mahaweli Authority, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Ceylon Electricity Board, Ministry of Health and the Irrigation Department to determine how best to prepare, with special attention being given to water management," he said.

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern that develops when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become warmer than normal.

The phenomenon alters global weather patterns and is often associated with hotter and drier conditions in parts of Asia and Australia, while triggering floods and storms in other regions.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that the current El Niño effect is likely to strengthen throughout 2026 and could become one of the strongest on record. Several international climate agencies have indicated that it may even develop into a "super El Niño."

Scientists have observed a vast body of unusually warm water moving beneath the Pacific Ocean, with temperatures in some areas exceeding normal levels by more than six degrees Celsius. Experts say such conditions are often precursors to major disruptions in global weather systems.

The United Nations has also cautioned that El Niño could intensify the effects of climate change, leading to more severe heatwaves, droughts, water shortages and extreme weather events across many parts of the world.