Hambegamuwa Village

The annual average rainfall at Hambegamuwa is 55.8 inches. The greater part of this rainfall occurs during the Northeast Monsoon; the months from October to January receive over 30 inches of the total annual rainfall (Fig. 2). A secondary mnaxinmum, due mainly to convectional thunderstorms, occurs during March and April. The rainfall is unreliable during both wet seasons. The drought which usually sets in about May continues till October and is extremely severe. There is a very high probability of almost arid conditions through June, July, and August. For example, within the period 1926-1950 the rainfall for June did not exceed 0.1 inches in 9 years, for July in 10 years, and for August in 12 years. The number of rainy days for June did not exceed 1 in 11 years, for July in 13 years, and for August in 12 years. There is no station recording temperature in the immediate vicinity. Stations in the Dry Zone lowlands for which statistics are available, have annual average temperatures ranging from 81.00F to 82.10F. Seasonal variations in temperature are slight but diurnal ranges of 15'F to 20'F are experienced. The high day temperatures, the high intensity of sunlight, and the occurrence of fairly strong winds contribute to an appreciably high rate of evaporation. This considerably reduces the effectiveness of the rainfall particularly during the drier months

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