Meteorological Technology International
  • News
    • A-E
      • Agriculture
      • Automated Weather Stations
      • Aviation
      • Climate Measurement
      • Data
      • Developing Countries
      • Digital Applications
      • Early Warning Systems
      • Extreme Weather
    • G-P
      • Hydrology
      • Lidar
      • Lightning Detection
      • New Appointments
      • Nowcasting
      • Numerical Weather Prediction
      • Polar Weather
    • R-S
      • Radar
      • Rainfall
      • Remote Sensing
      • Renewable Energy
      • Satellites
      • Solar
      • Space Weather
      • Supercomputers
    • T-Z
      • Training
      • Transport
      • Weather Instruments
      • Wind
      • World Meteorological Organization
      • Meteorological Technology World Expo
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    • April 2023
    • September 2022
    • April 2022
    • September 2021
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • Jobs
    • Browse Industry Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
  • Sign-up for Free Weekly E-Newsletter
  • Meet the Editors
  • Contact Us
  • Media Pack
LinkedIn Facebook
Subscribe
Meteorological Technology International
  • News
      • Agriculture
      • Automated Weather Stations
      • Aviation
      • Climate Measurement
      • Data
      • Developing Countries
      • Digital Applications
      • Early Warning Systems
      • Extreme Weather
      • Hydrology
      • Lidar
      • Lightning Detection
      • New Appointments
      • Nowcasting
      • Numerical Weather Prediction
      • Polar Weather
      • Radar
      • Rainfall
      • Remote Sensing
      • Renewable Energy
      • Satellites
      • Solar
      • Space Weather
      • Supercomputers
      • Training
      • Transport
      • Weather Instruments
      • Wind
      • World Meteorological Organization
      • Meteorological Technology World Expo
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    1. September 2023
    2. April 2023
    3. September 2022
    4. April 2022
    5. Archive Issues
    6. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    August 10, 2023

    In this Issue – September 2023

    By Web TeamAugust 10, 2023
    Recent

    In this Issue – September 2023

    August 10, 2023

    In this Issue – April 2023

    April 18, 2023

    In this Issue – September 2022

    August 12, 2022
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • Jobs
    • Browse Industry Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
Facebook LinkedIn
Meteorological Technology International
Hydrology

Sri Lanka floods now easier to predict

William AtkinsonBy William AtkinsonAugust 2, 20232 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Credit: Pixabay
Share
LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email

New research has found that floods and landslides in Sri Lanka could be better predicted by applying weather forecasting techniques currently used in India. The island is extremely vulnerable to floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall. In May 2017 more than 150 people were killed in flooding triggered by monsoon rains.

Led by Dr Akshay Deoras, a research scientist at the University of Reading (UK), and published in Geophysical Research Letters, the study expands the list of countries the university is supporting in its research and highlights the importance of studying extreme weather in Sri Lanka.

Dr Deoras said, “Sri Lanka has largely been ignored by researchers despite being extremely vulnerable to catastrophic floods and extreme weather events, which are likely to intensify in the future due to climate change. Our study is the first to show that techniques already being used to improve weather forecasting in India can be used effectively in Sri Lanka as well. We have identified specific wind patterns that are most responsible for triggering extreme rainfall in Sri Lanka.”

The study found extreme rainfall in Sri Lanka occurred most frequently during the northeast monsoon (December-February) and second intermonsoon seasons (October-November). In contrast, the amount of rainfall was very small in weather patterns associated with the southwest monsoon (May-September) and first intermonsoon (March-April) seasons.

Using multiple data sets, the research team also investigated the link between extreme rainfall in Sri Lanka, weather patterns and the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). The MJO is an eastward moving band of clouds and rainfall over the equatorial Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, which influences the weather in the tropics. The researchers found that the location of the MJO is important in determining whether a weather pattern will trigger extreme rainfall in Sri Lanka. The likelihood of extreme rainfall in some weather patterns was considerably larger when the MJO was located over the Indian Ocean. It decreased by over 90% in the same weather patterns when the MJO was located over the western Pacific Ocean.

Leading weather prediction models can accurately predict the location of the MJO a week or so in advance. It is hoped the findings from this study will enhance the predictability of extreme rainfall in Sri Lanka given its link with the MJO.

Previous ArticleNew ocean observing technologies to advance vital tsunami warning systems
Next Article Climate change affecting California’s winter waves

Read Similar Stories

Weather Instruments

Saildrone and NOAA set Guinness World Record

September 13, 20232 Mins Read
Extreme Weather

White Nile River flood forecasts for conflict-affected zones

August 25, 20233 Mins Read
Satellites

Tomorrow.io satellites characterize precipitation intensity from space

August 25, 20232 Mins Read
Latest News

EMS and AMS renew collaboration agreement

September 25, 2023

Major methane leak in the UK detected using satellites

September 22, 2023

NCAS trials use of biofuel to power storm-tracking weather radar

September 22, 2023

Receive breaking stories and features in your inbox each week, for free


Enter your email address:


Supplier Spotlights
  • Palindrome Remote Sensing GmbH
Getting in Touch
  • Contact Us / Advertise
  • Meet the Editors
  • Download Media Pack
  • Free Weekly E-Newsletter
Our Social Channels
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
© 2023 UKi Media & Events a division of UKIP Media & Events Ltd
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Notice and Takedown Policy

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Functional

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

Performance

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

Others

Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.

SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by