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Sri Lanka Weather Warnings & Disaster Alerts — Live Updates
Weather warnings, flood and cyclone updates and disaster news from across Sri Lanka. KottuRoti monitors every major Lankan outlet in Sinhala, Tamil and English around the clock and clusters their reports into one clear story per event, alongside pointers to the official sources — the Department of Meteorology and the Disaster Management Centre.
Last updated 16:06 Sri Lanka time
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Latest weather and disaster news
Stories above are clustered automatically from Sri Lankan outlets reporting in all three languages. For everything happening right now beyond weather, see breaking news or the full Sri Lanka news today digest. Sinhala readers can follow සිංහල පුවත් and Tamil readers தமிழ் செய்திகள் on their own hubs.
Sri Lanka's monsoon seasons explained
Sri Lanka's rainfall is driven by two monsoons and two inter-monsoon periods, so some part of the island is in a rainy season for most of the year. Knowing which season is active tells you which regions to watch for floods and landslides.
Southwest monsoon (May to September)
The Southwest monsoon brings sustained rain to the southwest of the island — including Colombo, Galle, Kalutara and the Ratnapura hill country. This is the season most associated with flooding in the Kelani and Kalu river basins and landslides in the wet-zone hills.
Northeast monsoon (December to February)
The Northeast monsoon brings rain to the north and east of the island, including Jaffna, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara. The months around its onset, from November onward, are also the peak of the Bay of Bengal cyclone season that can affect Sri Lanka.
Inter-monsoon periods (March-April and October-November)
Between the two monsoons, convectional afternoon thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds can occur anywhere on the island. The second inter-monsoon in October-November is typically the wetter of the two, with heavy showers across many districts.
Official sources for warnings
Never rely on social media alone during severe weather. These are the agencies that issue Sri Lanka's official warnings, and the ones whose statements the stories above report on.
Department of Meteorology
The Met Department (meteo.gov.lk) publishes weather forecasts, cyclone tracking and color-coded weather warnings for heavy rain, strong winds and rough seas.
Disaster Management Centre (DMC)
The DMC (dmc.gov.lk) coordinates the national disaster response, publishes situation reports on floods, landslides and evacuations, and runs the 117 emergency hotline.
Irrigation Department
The Irrigation Department (irrigation.gov.lk) monitors river and reservoir levels and issues flood-level bulletins for the major river basins.
National Building Research Organisation (NBRO)
The NBRO (nbro.gov.lk) issues landslide early warnings by district and division during periods of heavy rain.
How Sri Lanka's warning system works
The Department of Meteorology issues color-coded warnings. An advisory (yellow) means be aware: conditions could develop and you should follow updates. An amber warning means be prepared: severe weather is expected and you should avoid unnecessary risk. A red warning means take action: severe weather is imminent or already occurring and poses a danger to life — follow DMC and local authority instructions immediately.
Emergency contacts
117 — Disaster Management Centre emergency hotline.
119 — Police emergency.
1990 — Suwa Seriya ambulance service.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a cyclone warning in Sri Lanka today?
Check the live section at the top of this page — any cyclone story covered by Sri Lankan outlets appears there within minutes of publication. For the official warning itself, always confirm with the Department of Meteorology at meteo.gov.lk, which issues cyclone advisories and tracking updates.
Is there a weather warning in Sri Lanka right now?
The latest weather and disaster stories above update around the clock, so any active warning being reported will be listed there. Official warnings are published by the Department of Meteorology (meteo.gov.lk) and the Disaster Management Centre (dmc.gov.lk).
When is monsoon season in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka has two monsoons: the Southwest monsoon from May to September, which brings rain to the southwest of the island, and the Northeast monsoon from December to February, which brings rain to the north and east. The inter-monsoon periods in March-April and October-November bring afternoon thunderstorms across the country.
Which districts in Sri Lanka flood most often?
Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara flood most often because they sit in the Kelani and Kalu river basins, and Ratnapura is regularly affected upstream. During the Northeast monsoon, Batticaloa and Ampara in the east are among the most flood-prone districts.
What are the emergency numbers in Sri Lanka?
Dial 117 for the Disaster Management Centre emergency hotline, 119 for Police emergencies, and 1990 for a Suwa Seriya ambulance.
Who issues official weather warnings in Sri Lanka?
The Department of Meteorology issues weather forecasts, advisories and cyclone warnings. The Disaster Management Centre coordinates the national response and publishes situation reports. The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) issues landslide warnings, and the Irrigation Department monitors river and flood levels.