Sun, humidity and UV push up heat, says Met Dept.

From The Daily Mirror online

Image from econigeria.com

Increasing in UV radiation, the sun coming directly over the country and the increase of humidity had contributed to the increase in the heat-wave experience in the country these days, the Department of Metrology said today. 

The temperature has topped 36 degrees in some areas the country. 

A Spokesman of the department told the Daily Mirror that usually excess radiation was blocked by cloud cover over the island. 

However, a certain amount of radiation travels to the surface but was absorbed by the soil, while the remaining bounce back into space. 

He said, however, these days the cloud cover over the country had prevented the escape of that extra radiation increasing in the heat. 

“The second reason is the sun coming directly over Sri Lanka. The sun which had come directly over Sri Lanka from today is to remain above the country till April 15.  The sun is expected come above Denagama in Panadura today,” he said. 

The third reason was the excessive humidity in the air. 

The department said that people feel a discomfort when sweating because the perspiration fails to get absorbed into the air in the form of humidity, which is a usual phenomenon. 

This failure took place as more humidity couldn’t be absorbed into the air. The department said chances of thunder storms in the coming days are remote though light showers could be expected.  (Yohan Perera)