Strong winds and heavy showers are expected to prevail across most part of the island nation this weekend.
The Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS) revealed that heavy rain showers and strong winds tore through northern and central atolls on Friday.
Prolonged adverse weather conditions are expected nationwide, with heavy rain and strong winds expected to tear through northern and central atolls on Saturday as well
However, islands in the south of Maldives will likely experience scattered rain.
Due to the squally weather, the department has been issuing a number of alerts, white, yellow and orange, over the past couple of days.
This is the first time in recent history that the department has had to issue so many orange warnings, in the span of a few weeks.
As such, a yellow alert was issued for heavy rain, strong winds of 28 – 35 miles per hour and gusts of 55 miles per hour with very rough seas from Haa Alif atoll to Faafu atoll, in the early hours of Friday.
A white alert was in effect for heavy rain and thunderstorms with gusts of 40 miles per hour from Thaa atoll to Laamu atoll close to dawn.
Another yellow alert was issued for heavy rain, strong winds of 25 – 30 miles per hour and gusts of 55 miles per hour with very rough seas from Haa Alif atoll to Thaa atoll on Friday morning which was extended through the afternoon.
A yellow alert remains effective through 07:30pm from Haa Alif atoll to Laamu atoll for heavy rain, strong winds of 25 – 30 miles per hour and gusts of 50 miles per hour with very rough seas.
Between 8am Thursday to 8am Friday some islands experienced flooding due to heavy rainfall.
Statistics by the department revealed that Kahdhoo island in Laamu atoll experienced 82.3 millimeters of rainfall, Maavah island in Laamu atoll experienced 42.5 millimeters of rainfall, Maamigili island in Alif Dhaal atoll experienced 28.5 millimeters of rainfall, Thoddoo island in Alif Alif atoll experienced 28.2 millimeters of rainfall, Hulhulé experienced 26.5 millimeters of rainfall and Hulhumalé experienced 20.8 millimeters of rainfall.
Although tides were recorded as low as -0.5 in the early hours of Friday, they rose to three feet in the afternoon and dropped to 1.3 by nightfall in the northern atolls.
It will drop as low as -0.6 by early Saturday and rise to three feet on Saturday afternoon, before dropping to 1.3 by nightfall.
Central atolls experienced tides dropping as low as 1.8 in the early hours of Friday, dropping further to -0.5 by morning and hiking to 2.8 by afternoon, and is expected to drop to 0.7 after nightfall. Tides will rise to 1.8 feet on Saturday morning and drop to -0.5 by Saturday morning, before rising to 2.8 by afternoon and dropping to 0.7 by nightfall.
The department revealed that southern atolls will experience tides dropping from 3.1 to 0.4 by the end of Friday and ascending to 2.4 feet by Saturday morning before rising further to three in the afternoon.
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.
