In case you hadn't noticed, it's raining. In Colombo it's been raining almost non-stop for over 36 hours. Since our streets flood with half an hour of rain, this is pretty bad. So what's going on, and how long will it last?
Here's the clouds dumping water on us:
And here is how much rain we're getting. As you can see Sri Lanka has gotten over 5 inches of rain in the past 24 hours.
But how long will it last? Weather forecasts are unreliable, but here's what Time & Date says for the next 14 days.
Basically, it looks like it'll rain all week. Keep dry and keep safe. And if you can't leave the house, you can order food online through YAMU now (desktop only for a few weeks).
Why
Why is it raining so much? This is the Yala Intermonsoon. Honestly, we should just call it the monsoon but the term is more defined by when the rains hit India. Sri Lanka gets it in between.
Above is the average number of rainy days and rainfall for Colombo. As you can see, May is one of the rainiest months. Colombo's average May rainfall is around 392 mm, and we've gotten 256 mm in just a few days already.
What To Watch Out For
Death
The most dangerous effect excessive rain can have is landslides in hilly country, but even in Colombo heavy rains once tragically washed a girl down a sewer drain where she drowned. Water and electricity also do not mix well, so it is important to be safe above all.
Traffic
More annoying is that even a little bit of rain befouls Sri Lanka traffic. Major roads like Horton Place, Ward Place, Park Road and major junctions flood quite easily. This reduces four lanes to two, or even none, and it quickly becomes a free for all.
The rains also seem to cause more car breakdowns than usual, adding to both traffic and misery. If you're not in a car, buses get more crowded and slower and inconsiderate drivers can constantly splash pedestrians and people on motorbikes.
Mosquitos
This comes a few weeks after the rains, but be warned. Rains move around garbage which clog drains, plus the water that collects ends up breeding mosquitos.
What To Do
Keep calm and carry an umbrella.
