Visit to the Katugastota Meteorological Department
As part of our field visit to investigate the rainfall conditions associated with the Akurana flood on October 17, we visited the Katugastota Meteorological Department to observe the meteorological instruments and understand their data recording processes. Upon arrival, we met with the Technical Officer (TO), who introduced us to the instruments installed at the station and explained their functions. The instruments included a rain gauge for measuring rainfall, as well as equipment for recording wind direction, wind speed, atmospheric pressure and lightning activity. Figure 1 : Rain Gauge used by Met Department to measure rainfall How the Rain Gauge Works One of the main instruments demonstrated during the visit was the rain gauge, which records rainfall continuously using a mechanical recording system. The recording process involves several components: Catch: Rain falls into a funnel and flows into a narrow chamber inside the metal cylinder. Float and pen: As water collects in...