MONETABRIEF – Sri Lanka's met department warned of more rain over the island on October 27 from the effects of severe cyclonic storm Arnab (pronounced Ornab) while the met officials in India also tracked an interaction with a low pressure area over the North.
Arnab is likely to become very severe cyclonic storm by October 28 and cross the Andra Pradesh coast.
"Although this system is not expected to have a direct impact on Sri Lanka, the showery condition over the southwestern parts of the island is expected continue today, as the wind flow associated with the system extends across the island," the Met Department said.
"Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts and, fairly heavy falls above 75 mm are likely at some places in these areas.
"Showers or thunder showers will occur at a few places after 1.00 p.m. in the Eastern province.
"Strong winds of about (40-50) kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the Central hills, Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee and Hambantota Districts."
Arnab was currently over 800 kilometres of Sri Lanka and it was interacting with a low pressure area over Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, the Indian met office said.
"Associated scattered low and medium clouds with embedded intense to very intense convection lay over Sri Lanka, Palk Strait, Gulf of Mannar, south Arabian Sea, southwest & adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal, south interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rayalaseema, Lakshadweep Islands area…" the Indian Met office said.
"Distance between the centre of the low pressure area over southwest Bay of Bengal and cyclone “Arnab” is around 800 km and there is clear cut interaction between the two systems.
"As a result, the low pressure area over southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to move east-southeastwards & cyclone “Arnab” westnorthwestwards. While “Arnab” intensified, the low pressure area over southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to weaken."