Abstract:
Sri Lanka is vulnerable to cyclones generated mostly in the southern part of Bay of Bengal, and to a lesser extent, to those in the southeast of Arabian Sea. The cyclones which form over the southernmost part of Bay of Bengal at low latitudes mainly move west or west to northwestwards into the Gulf of Mannar across the coast of Sri Lanka. These cyclones generally form during the later part of the post-monsoon season or early part of the pre-monsoon season. On the other hand, cyclones that form over Arabian Sea mostly move north or north-easterly while a few travel west or northwestwards.