Change in rainfall pattern

Lakshmi de Silva

The annual average rainfall pattern had changed and a reduction of rainfall was noted during September and October this year compared to last year's rainfall figures in some districts, meteorologist Nandalal Peiris told Daily News yesterday.

During September last year the average rainfall figures in Batticaloa was 245 millimeters, Hambantota 75 millimeters and Ampara 101 millimeters. But during September this year the figures had reduced to 3.6 millimeters in Batticaloa, 74.7 millimeters in Hambantota, and no rain was experienced in Ampara, he said.

In October last year the average rainfall figure for Batticaloa was 180 millimeters but this year there was no rain fell in Batticaloa.

In Hambantota there was an average rainfall figure of 152 mm last year but this year there was only 25.1 mm of rain. In Ampara there was an average rainfall of 171.8 mm of rain fall last year but this October the rain fall was only 48.6, he said. The dry weather experienced during the past few days had now changed and there could be isolated thunder showers in any part of the country in the afternoons in the coming days, meteorologist Preethika Jayasinghe told Daily News yesterday.