Subject: Sri Lanka Rainfall Predictions on Web

Hi,

The following appeared on SLNet. Though somewhat peripheral to 'natural
history' I thought it might be of interest to some NatHistory-India
readers.

Priyantha
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Sereno A. Barr-Kumarakulasinghe" 

I've created a page that does a real time rainfall prediction for 
Katunayake, Galle and Hambanthota. Here's the blurb from the example,
Methods page.

The method is based on the simple statistical relationship of historical 
rainfall in Sri Lanka to Sea Surface Temperature (SST) conditions in the 
Equatorial Pacfic Ocean. The main crux of this prediction method is that 
predictions are made in real time on a monthly basis using the reported
conditions in the Pacific Ocean. The automated procedure obtains the 
current conditions of the Pacific Ocean from the Climate Prediction Center), 
calculates the rainfall for upcoming season based on the historical 
statistical relationship and creates a Web document containing the
prediction. 

This page can be accessed at 
http://arm3.das.bnl.gov/~sbarrkum/slclimate/slclimate.html

In about a month or so (once I have caught up with my work) I'll 
implement the prediction for Jaffna, Batticaloa and Anuradhapura. The 
science has been worked out, the automated procedures have to be set up.

Would also appreciate input/suggestions especially if I have made any 
mistakes etc.

Also I am trying to set a page that contains a Sri Lankan Earth Scientists
Directory (Climate, Oceanography, etc) and also links to available data. 
If anyone wants their name, email, etc. and data to be made available 
please e-mail me so that I could include them on this page.

http://arm3.das.bnl.gov/~sbarrkum/slclimate/slearth.html

Regards

Barr-Kum
 ____________________________________________________________________
| Sereno A. Barr-Kumarakulasinghe      |  sbarrkum@ic.sunysb.edu     |
| Marine Sciences Research Center      |                             |
| State University of New York         |                             |
| Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000           |                             |
|___________________________________________________________________ |

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dilrukshan Priyantha Wijesinghe       Email:dwijesin@email.gc.cuny.edu
Department of Entomology              Fax: 212-769 5277
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024