WEATHER SYNOPSIS AUGUST 2015

Weak southwest monsoon flow continued with below normal rainfall from most parts in the
southwestern part during the month of August 2015. Moderate rainy spells were reported during 3-
5th,9-12th and
24-30th in the southwestern parts due to low level convergence to the west of Sri Lanka . Widespread
rain had been reported, due to formation of low pressure area to the south of Sri Lanka, during 15-
17th. Localized damages due to strong winds associated with thunderstorm were reported from
Kakirawa and Ampara on 15th and 30th respectively. In addition, isolated hailstorms were recorded
from Ampara on 30th. Ampara, Batticaloa and Monaragala area affected by the near drought.
The surface pressure and winds
The surface pressure over the island was predominantly about or above average during the month
except on 06th and during 8-15th when it was below average. Steep pressure gradient prevaild on 03rd
11th 12th and on 26th .Mild or moderate and southwesterly pressure gradient prevailed across the island
during the rest of the month except 16-19th when there was even or fairly even pressure distribution.
The highest pressure recorded from China mainland was 1014.5hPa at 08/1200Z and from
Madagascar was 1025.8hPa at 13/0600Z.
The surface wind was southwesterly to westerly and the speed was generally 05 and 15knots except
during 17-19th when it was variable and 05-10kts. The maximum wind recorded at AWS at Colombo
was 18.9knots during 11.25 hours of 04th.

ITCZ at the beginning of the month was around 280 N and varied between 300 N and 250 N until 6th
and then fluctuate between 190 N and 220 N in a west-south direction from 07th onwards to 16th .
Afterward it was moved northward further and fluctuated within 28 0 N and 320 N. Towards the end
of the month ITCZ was around 300 N. Shearline was observed to be fluctuating between 030N and
040S throughout this month too.
The Southern oscillation Index was -19.02 (Strong El Nino condition) during the month.

At 850hPa, Wind speed over the island was 20-30kts during 05-07th and 1-15th and 15-20kts
during 02-04th,09th and 20-30th and 05-15kts during the rest of the month. The wind direction was
northwesterly or westerly on 01st,04th,10th, during 13-16th , on 23rd and during 25-27th . It was
southwesterly or westerly during the rest of the month. A cyclonic circulation appeared over SL on
15th and it was over and vicinity of Sri Lanka until 17th caused widespread showers. It moved to the
west of SL on 18th and disappeared afterwards. A NE-Sw oriented trough axis was over Sri Lanka on
26th .
At 700 hPa Wind speed over the island was 15-25kts on 06th , 10th and during 13-14th and 10-20kts
during the rest of the month except 16-17th when it was 05-10kts. The wind direction was
predominantly westerly or southwesterly during the month except during 1st 13-16th, 25-26th and 28-
30th when it was northwesterly or westerly. A N-S oriented trough axis appeared over Sri Lanka on
16th and it become a cyclonic circulation to the East of Sri Lanka. It moved to the west of SL on 18th
and disappeared afterwards.
At 500 hPa,
Predominently Northwesterly to westerly winds of speed 05-15kts existed till 15th except 11-12th
when it was southwesterly, to become southeasterly or northeasterly , 05-10kts till 20th except 18-19th
when speed was 15-30kts. Then the wind was generally westerly to northwesterly with a speed
ranging from 05-10kts until 24th and increased up to 10-20kts during 25-28th with westerly to
southwesterly direction. It was Northwesterly or northeasterly 05-10kts during 29-30th and southerly
10-15kts on 31st .
At 200hpa,
Winds at 200 hPa remained easterlies within speed of 40-65kts till 11th and then from 22nd to 26th .
Otherwise the wind speed was about 30-40kts except during 12-15th,18-20th and on 28th when they
were 20-30kts. Ridge axis at 330 N or further north by the beginning of month slowly came
southwards by 19th and remained around 240 N by 26th . It moved northward again and remained
around 28-290N during 27-28th .By the end of month it was positioned around 260 N.

Rainfalls:-The rainfalls were below normal in most stations in the southwestern parts except
Rathnapura and Katugastota where they were about or above average and mostly well above normal
elsewhere particularly in the regions where the average rainfall is less during the month. Out of 22
meteorological stations, stations in Northcentarl province recorded more than 400% of average and
Hambanthota recorded more than 200% of average. On the other hand NuwaraEliya, Bandarawela,
Katunayake, Badulla, Mannar, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee recorded less than 50% of their average.
Number of rainy days were mostly about or above average. Even though the reported rainfall was
below the average, no of rainy days were mostly about or a little above average, particularly in the
southwestern part. The number of rain-days were (100-250) % of the averages except Uva and
Eastern provinces, where they were within (40-75)%.(Table-02 and 03 and figure 1,2 and 3).
170.0mm of rain which was recorded on 16th at Palampoddar in Trincomalee district was the reported
highest daily rainfall and highest monthly total rainfall was 489.7mm at Ilubuluwa Estat in
Rathnapura district.
Hydropower catchments too received mostly below normal rainfalls except Victoria(121%) and
Ukuwela(133%),where they were above normal during the month. Samanalawewa and Randenigala
reported only 22% of average while other catchments received about 50-70% of their average
Temperatures:
As a whole, the maximum temperature during the day time, were predominantly above normal in the
southwestern parts and Jaffna and Kurunegala and about normal elsewhere as an average. They were
mostly more than 2-30C above normal at Jaffna, Kurunegala and Rathmalana during the month. It
was 6.1 0 C above normal on 16th, 50C above normal during 6-7th and 14-15th and 40C above normal
on 09th and 13th at Jaffna. More than 50C above normal temperatures were reported from Batticaloa ,
Hambanthota and NuwaraEliya on 7th 13th and 15th respectively. In the case of Badulla it was about
or a little below normal during the month.
Minimum temperatures during the night were predominantly above normal in the southwestern parts
and about normal elsewhere as an average. Mostly 2-30C degrees above normal in the Southwestern
part. During 15-17th, they were predominantly below normal by 1-2 0
C. During the rest of the
0
month, they varied predominantly within 1 C of the averages. Extremes of Maximum and minimum
Temperatures in August 2015 are shown in table 01.

Extremes of Maximum Temperatures in Celsius- August 2015

Maximum
Offsets Highest
Value (-) (+) Std.Div
Value 38.5 -3.5 6.1 2.04
Station Batticaloa Hambanthota Jaffna Hambanthota
Date 2015/08/07 2015/08/27 2015/08/16
Extremes of minimum temperature in Celsius - August 2015
Minimum
Offsets Highest
Value (-) (+) Std.Div
Value 10.8 -2.9 3.9 2.23
Station Nuwara Eliya Trincomale Badulla Bandarawela
Date 2015/08/01 2015/08/17 2015/08/07

Rainfall(mm) No of Rainy Days

30 year
Station Aug-15 average % 15-Aug 30 year Average %
Anuradapura 180.2 39.8 452.8% 3 3 100%
Badulla 25.8 93.2 27.7% 5 7 71%
Bandarawela 16.3 69.3 23.5% 7 6 117%
Batticaloa 13.9 48.5 28.7% 2 4 50%
Colombo 90.7 119.5 75.9% 21 11 191%
Galle 153.3 185.9 82.5% 21 16 131%
Hambantota 159.3 56.3 282.9% 10 7 143%
Jaffna 59.5 38.7 153.7% 5 3 167%
Katugastota 140.2 112.8 124.3% 14 13 108%
Katunayaka 44.9 117.6 38.2% 13 9 144%
Kurunegala 74.3 98.0 75.8% 13 10 130%
MahaIlluppallama. 133.5 32.0 417.2% 3 3 100%
Mannar 3.4 12.3 27.6% 1 1 100%
Nuwara Eliya 75.3 161 46.8% 17 16 106%
Pottuvil 26.1 18.9 138.1% 2 NA NA
Puttalam 17.0 17.1 99.4% 5 2 250%
Ratmalana 106.6 139.3 76.5% 17 12 142%
Ratnapura 338.3 304.1 111.2% 21 20 105%
Trincomalee 30.7 85.9 35.7% 2 5 40%
Vavuniya 71.0 75.0 94.7% 3 4 75%
Polonnaruwa 63.5 55.1 115.2% 3 3 100%
Monaragala 24.5 NA NA 7 NA NA

Table-02.Monthly total rainfall (mm) and total no of rainy days at main Meteorological
stations during August 2015( Blue-Above/about average and Yellow-Below average)

Hydro catchment 15-Aug average %

Castlereigh 228.2 413.0 55%
Norton 383.5 588.9 65%
Maussakele 187.4 336.4 56%
Canyon 245.1 493.2 50%
Laksapana 378.1 551.7 69%
Kotmale 177.1 251.0 71%
Victoriya 65.2 53.7 121%
Randenigala 5.5 24.5 22%
Bowatenna 67.6 93.0 73%
Ukuwela 117.5 88.2 133%
Samanala Wewa 94.7 440.0 22%

Table-03.Monthly total rainfall (mm) at Hydro catchment areas stations during August 2015
Figure-01.Monthly total no of rainy days at main Meteorological stations during August
2015

Graph-02.Monthly total no of rainy days at main Meteorological stations during August

2015

Graph-03.Monthly total rainfall at Hydrocatchment areas during August 2015