Weather Summary – 2006 August
Southwest monsoon continued with quite abnormal good rainy spell during10-23rd in the southwestern parts. The two weeks long rainy period completely disrupted triangular series of an international Cricket tournament and partly affected south Asian games although the rainfall was not heavy enough to cause any significant damages.
Minor localized damages were reported from Waikkala and Elpitiya on 16th and 17th respectively due to strong winds associated with rain. On 20th too, wind damages were reported from Welikanda area where there was a rain with thunder activity. In addition, isolated hailstorms were recorded from Uva province on 24th and 27th.
The Southern oscillation Index was -15.9(Mild Elnino conditions) during the month.
The surface pressure and winds
The surface pressure over the
island was predominantly about or a little above average during the first four days and last ten days
but mostly below normal during the rest of the month. Mild
or moderate and southwesterly pressure gradient prevailed across the island in most
of the days. The surface wind was
southwesterly to westerly and the speed was generally 05 and 15knots. The maximum wind recorded at 10m level at
Rainfalls:- The rainfalls
were above normal in the most parts of the western and Sabaragamuwa
provinces, Galle and Matara districts and in parts of
Kurunegala district and mostly well below normal
elsewhere in particularly in the regions out side the southwest of the
country. Out of 18 meteorological stations, western
coastal belt recorded more than 200% of average and Rathnapura,
Hydropower catchments too received about 80% of average except Randenigala and Bowathenna, Samanalawewa where they had reported less than 50%.
Temperatures:
As a whole, the maximum temperature during the day time, were above normal by about 1-2 0 C until 9th. Then, they were predominantly below normal till 20th except at Vavuniya where well above temperatures were recorded in most of the days. They were about 2 0 C above normal after 20th until the end of the month.
Minimum temperatures during the night were predominantly about normal as an average. During 5-17th, they were predominantly below normal by 1-2 0 C in the southwestern parts and above normal over the regions east of hills. During the rest of the month, they varied predominantly within 1 0 C of the averages.
|
Extremes of Maximum Temperatures in Celsius- August 2006 |
||||
|
|
Maximum |
|
||
|
|
Value |
Offsets |
Highest |
|
|
|
(-) |
(+) |
Std.Div |
|
|
Value |
37.8 |
-3.80 |
4.90 |
2.10 |
|
Station |
Vavuniya |
Katugastota |
Nuwara Eliya |
Nuwara Eliya |
|
Date |
2006/06/24 |
2006/08/13 |
2006/08/06 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extremes of minimum temperature in Celsius - August 2006 |
||||
|
|
Minimum |
|
||
|
|
Value |
Offsets |
Highest |
|
|
|
(-) |
(+) |
Std.Div |
|
|
Value |
9.5 |
-3.60 |
3.10 |
3.70 |
|
Station |
Nuwara Eliya |
Katugastota |
Badulla |
Badulla |
|
Date |
2006/08/08 |
2006/08/07 |
2006/08/14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table 2- Total Rainfall and Raindays in August 2006 |
||||||
|
Station |
Rainfall(mm) |
Rain-days |
||||
|
Current |
Average |
% |
Current |
Average |
% |
|
|
|
0.0 |
39.8 |
0% |
0 |
3 |
0% |
|
Badulla |
65.5 |
93.2 |
70% |
9 |
7 |
129% |
|
Bandarawela |
66.3 |
69.3 |
96% |
9 |
6 |
150% |
|
Batticaloa |
18.3 |
48.5 |
38% |
2 |
4 |
50% |
|
|
270.6 |
119.5 |
226% |
16 |
11 |
145% |
|
|
285.3 |
185.9 |
153% |
23 |
16 |
144% |
|
Hambantota |
40.6 |
56.3 |
72% |
7 |
7 |
100% |
|
Katugastota |
68.5 |
112.8 |
61% |
13 |
13 |
100% |
|
Katunayaka |
242.0 |
117.6 |
206% |
14 |
9 |
156% |
|
Kurunegala |
174.1 |
98.0 |
178% |
13 |
10 |
130% |
|
Maha Iluppallama |
0.6 |
32.0 |
2% |
1 |
3 |
33% |
|
Mannar |
0.0 |
12.3 |
0% |
0 |
1 |
0% |
|
Nuwara Eliya |
101.8 |
161.0 |
63% |
17 |
16 |
106% |
|
Pottuvil |
10.0 |
18.9 |
53% |
3 |
na |
|
|
Puttalam |
5.0 |
17.1 |
29% |
2 |
2 |
100% |
|
Ratmalana |
324.8 |
139.3 |
233% |
17 |
12 |
142% |
|
Ratnapura |
403.4 |
304.1 |
133% |
21 |
20 |
105% |
|
Vavuniya |
6.8 |
75.0 |
9% |
1 |
4 |
25% |
