The country will experience extremely hot weather patterns in nearly 10 districts during the coming festive week.

The Meteorology Department yesterday said the heat wave which commenced yesterday had hit most parts of the Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, and Moneragala districts.

Medical Research Institute, Medical Nutritionist Consultant Dr. Renuka Jayatissa yesterday told the media that public should be cautious, stay hydrated and remain vigilant regarding the extreme heat conditions prevailing in most parts of the country.

The Meteorology Department records indicate that 2019 was the hottest year of the last decade in some parts of the country, while it was the second hottest year after 2016. The annual mean temperatures calculated from the data taken from 22 weather stations across the country showed that 2019 was the hottest year of the decade for nine areas covered by those stations, namely Mannar, Vavuniya, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Katugastota, Ratmalana, Badulla, Moneragala and Polonnaruwa.

In 2019, Sri Lanka faced a long spell of dry weather following below-average rains in the first half of that year. The year witnessed the country being hit by dry and moderate drought conditions in pockets of the North, North Western, North Central, Uva and Eastern Provinces.