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| Sunday, 16 May 2004 |
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Present discomfort not due to El-Nino: Humid air-main cause by Anton Nonis The discomfort especially during the nights these days in spite of the on and off rains experienced has started to choke the Meteorology Department with queries whether an El-Nino has come to effect in the country. Records by the department have shown that heavy showers have failed for quite long. However, meteorologists say that the present situation to be not of an El-Nino. Properties usually shown by it not seen, they have said. According to Department Director, K.R. Abeysinghe, an El-Nino occurred only once in four or five years. The last was during the 2001-2002 period. It began in December and continued for about six months thereafter. Meteorologist S.H. Kariyawasam said it was a `Long El-Nino' in that period. It is also said that these events may occur in much shorter intervals. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) had ruled that there been an El-Nino last month too. But it had persisted only for about a month. Meteorologists think that last month's heavy showers in some parts of the country could have been due to that short El-Nino. Meteorologists say that atmospheric scientists and oceanographers are the people who determine whether an El-Nino had occurred. They take into consideration pressures at the equitorial Eastern and equitorial Western pacific regions when concluding these events. The temperature of the Pacific ocean too would rise by about 4-5 degrees celcius on such occasions. The pressure and temperature increases said to have an effect on the global weather pattern. According to Mr. Abeysinghe, the El-Nino phenomenon has been linked to Fiji Islands from where it was thought to have originated. As it usually occures in December, during the Christmas season, it is also thought to have a link with the Birth of Christ. El-Nino effects vary from country to country. While in some it may cause drought conditions, in others it tends to give rise to excessive rainy conditions as was seen here during the long type El-Nino during 2001-2002. According to the Meteorology Department temperatures recorded by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and other research institutes in many countries have found that there was no temperature rise in the Pacific ocean and that the equitorial pressures too had remained without change enabling to conclude that no El-Nino effect these days. Kariyawasam explaining the stickiness experienced at nights these days, said the air blowing from the ocean was humid. It absorbs some amount of heat from the ocean before reaching the land. "Air from the ocean is unable to absorb moisture from the land surface due to it being humid", he said. "As a result, sweat on a person's body too was not absorbed. It remained and gave rise to a sticky feeling," Kariyawasam said. However, meteorologists say that the situation would return to normal with the setting up of the South-West Monsoon towards the third week of this month. They predict there to be satisfactory showers usually at the initial stages of the monsoon. |
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