Rain showers predicted across northern atolls this weekend
13 އޮކްޓޯބަރު 2023 | ހުކުރު 08:38Due to the heavy rainfall, some islands have been experiencing flooding as well
Flooding in Male' City due to heavy rain
Rain showers are expected across some atolls in the north of Maldives over the weekend.
The Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS) revealed that heavy rain showers are expected in some atolls in the north of Maldives over the course of the weekend.
Scattered showers are expected in some islands of central atolls of Maldives during the weekend and it will be windy across southern atolls on Friday, with the weather expected to clear up by Saturday.
The department revealed that scattered showers and a few thunderstorms occurred over northern atolls on Friday. Isolated showers were expected in central atolls and the weather was mainly fine over southern atolls over the past 24 hours.
Winds were southeast to southerly at 8 – 18 miles per hour in central and southern atolls and south to south-westerly at 3 – 13 miles per hour in northern atolls. Winds gusted 30 miles per hour during showers, on Friday.
Seas were moderate during showers in the northern atolls and moderate elsewhere, with a wave height of 3 – 5 feet in central and southern atolls and 1 – 3 feet in the north.
Due to the heavy rainfall, some islands have been experiencing flooding as well.
Although tides were recorded as low as 0.5 feet in the early hours of Friday, they rose as high as 2.1 feet after noon, in the northern atolls. It will remain at 2.2 feet by midnight and drop as low as 0.5 feet in the early hours of Saturday, before rising to 2.1 feet by midday and dropping to -0.3 feet by sundown.
Central atolls experienced tides rising as high as 2.1 feet in the early hours of Friday, dropping to 0.2 feet by sunrise and ascending to 2.1 feet by afternoon, and is expected to drop to -0.2 feet by sundown. Tides will rise to 2.3 feet by midnight and drop to 0.1 feet by Saturday morning, before rising to 2.1 feet by Saturday afternoon.
The department revealed that southern atolls will experience tides dropping from 2.7 feet to -0.3 feet by the end of Friday and ascending to three feet by Saturday morning before dropping to -0.5 feet in the evening.
Maldives experiences heavy rain showers and adverse weather conditions during the southwest monsoon as well as the northeast monsoon. Extensive periods of strong winds and adverse weather conditions are usually experienced mostly during the southwest monsoon.
Such adverse weather conditions have caused trees to uproot, roofs to be torn off, and heavy debris falling onto houses, causing immense damage. The squally weather during monsoon also causes extensive damage to crop in some islands and presents challenges for seafarers and fishermen as well. Some islands have been experiencing swell waves surges during high tides as well.
