Analysis of Rainfall Distribution in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka
M. M. A. P. Manike, M. Rajendran
Asian Journal of Research in Agriculture and Forestry · pp. 48–60 · Published 12 Feb 2024
10.9734/ajraf/2024/v10i1268Abstract
Investigating the dynamics of rainfall has become very crucial in managing water resources efficiently for sustainable development. The present study aimed to analyze the rainfall distribution in Kurunegala district. Historical rainfall data collected from four gauging stations were subjected to both mathematical and statistical analysis. In addition, trends of rainfall, probability of exceedance and meteorological drought conditions were studied. Rainfall distribution in the district shows high variations. Bathalagoda records the highest mean annual rainfall of 1843 mm. The corresponding values for Wariyapola, Mediyawa and Siyambalagamuwa are 1629 mm, 1315 mm and 1222 mm, respectively. Rainfall is concentrated only in certain months in a year. Annual rainfall exceedance at 50% probability is 1825 mm at Bathalagoda. The corresponding figures for Wariyapola, Mediyawa and Siyambalagamuwa are 1662 mm, 1284 mm and 1226 mm, respectively. Mediyawa, Wariyapola, and Siyambalagamuwa show a decreasing trend in annual rainfall while Bathalagoda shows an increasing trend. Southwest monsoonal (SWM) and 2nd inter-monsoonal (IM2) rainfalls show a decreasing trend at all gauging stations. Mediyawa and Bathalagoda show a positive trend in both 1st inter-monsoonal (IM1) and Northeast monsoonal (NEM) rainfalls. A negative trend in Maha seasonal rainfall is observed in all regions except Bathalagoda. A positive trend of Yala seasonal rainfall is observed at Mediyawewa and Bathalogoda. Further, severe drought conditions were experienced in the recent years at Wariyapola, Mediyawa, and Siyambalagamuwa. Compared to other regions, rainfall at Mediyawa and Siyambalagamuwa highly deviates from the long-term mean. In the study area, rainfall distribution shows a cyclic pattern over time. However, the amount of rainfall received in the recent years is lower than the amount received in the immediate past decade at all stations except Bathalagoda. Hence, proper management decisions based on rainfall distribution patterns is vital for the efficient management of water resources while guaranteeing sustainable agricultural production in this district.
References (12)
- 1 The Physical Science Basis
- 2 A Non-Parametric Approach to the Change-Point Problem [DOI]
- 3 Some methods for testing the homogeneity of rainfall records [DOI]
- 4 Variability and time series trend analysis of rainfall and temperature in northcentral Ethiopia: A case study in Woleka sub-basin [DOI]
- 5 MONTHLY PRECIPITATION DISTRIBUTION: A COMPARATIVE INDEX [DOI]
- 6 Precipitation concentration changes in Spain 1946–2005 [DOI]
- 7 Indicators of climate change in agricultural systems [DOI]
- 8 Water resources management in Afghanistan: The issues and options [DOI]
- 9 Impact of climate change on agricultural productivity: a combination of spatial Durbin model and entropy approaches [DOI]
- 10 Managing Protected Areas in Central and Eastern Europe Under Climate Change [DOI]
- 11 Monitoring and Forecasting Drought on a Regional Scale: Emilia-Romagna Region [DOI]
- 12 IPCC--Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [DOI]
Cited by 5
Basima Abbas Jabir Al-humairi, Mohammed Abbas Jabir Al-hamyari, Ahmed Kareem Jebur · Water Practice & Technology · 2026
Virajith Kuruppu, Nirma Subashini, Lahiru Udayanga · Sustainability · 2025
M. L. P. Anuruddhika, K. K. K. R. Perera, L. P. N. D. Premarathna · Theoretical and Applied Climatology · 2025
Showing 3 of 5 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.
Related research
- Modeling Climate Change Projections for Ferozpur Sub-catchment of Jhelum Sub-basin of Kashmir Valley — shares topic coverage
- Climate Change Impacts on Livelihood Vulnerability Assessment-Adaptation and Mitigation Options in Marine Hot Spots in Kerala, India — shares topic coverage
- Measuring Climate Change Vulnerability and its Adaptive Capacity: Policies and Planning for Bangladesh — shares topic coverage
- Life Cycle Analysis of Green Roof Implemented in a Global South Low-income Country — shares topic coverage
- An Analysis of Climate Forcings from the Central England Temperature (CET) Record — shares topic coverage
Article metrics
Real usage data collected on this platform.
54
Page views
0
PDF downloads
5
Outbound clicks
5
Citations
Views over time
Views by country
Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".
Traffic sources
Referring site, by host.
Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.