Rainfall reduced in North-East monsoon compared to 2023: Department of Meteorology

• Misty conditions will persist in most districts until January

By Huzefa Aliasger  

The North-East monsoon which is currently in effect and  will last till February is expected to bring above-normal rainfall compared to the forecast but lower rainfall than the 2023 North-East monsoon an  official at the Department of Meteorology said.

The rainfall forecast is done through the global forecast  model satellite, and January is expected to have higher rainfall than  forecasted.   

“The Northern Province will be the highest affected  province in the North East monsoon and most districts will continue to  face misty conditions till January,” meteorologist Anusha Warnasooriya  told the Daily Mirror.  
The meteorologist also mentioned that this is due to the La  Nina effect which is a naturally occurring phenomena that result from  interactions between the ocean surface and the atmosphere over the  tropical Pacific. Changes in the ocean’s surface temperatures affect  tropical rainfall patterns and atmospheric winds over the Pacific Ocean,  which in turn impact the ocean’s temperatures and currents.  

The rainfall of this North East monsoon is forecasted to be  less than last year which was reported at around 2,500 mm of rainfall.  This is attributed to the low-pressure area which is formed near the  Southeast of the Bay of Bengal.