Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index was 1.89 in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
1.89
Change on year
up 482.1%
World rank
2nd
of 188 countries
All-time high
2.48
in 1963
All-time low
-1.96
in 1987
Years of data
64
1960–2023

Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in Sri Lanka, 1960–2023

-2-1012196019912023

Source: Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html.

Analysis

Sri Lanka recorded 1.89 for standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in 2023.

The figure is up 482.1% on the previous year and up 298.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in Sri Lanka peaked at 2.48 in 1963 and was at its lowest, -1.96, in 1987.

Sri Lanka ranks 2nd of 188 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 0.5203 -1.71 2.48 10
1970s -0.0295 -1.76 1.12 10
1980s -0.5189 -1.96 1.5 10
1990s -0.1167 -1.46 0.9681 10
2000s -0.0897 -1.36 1.68 10
2010s 0.0697 -1.61 1.94 10
2020s 0.6714 -0.7929 1.89 4

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 1 Micronesia (country) 2.41 compare
  2. 3 United Kingdom 1.86 compare
  3. 4 Kenya 1.83 compare
  4. 5 Denmark 1.73 compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More environment data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in Sri Lanka?
Standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in Sri Lanka was 1.89 in 2023, according to Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html.
What is the highest standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 2.48 in 1963.
What is the lowest standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was -1.96 in 1987.
How does Sri Lanka rank for standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index?
Sri Lanka ranks 2nd out of 188 countries with data for 2023.
Is standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 298.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
The figures come from Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html, published as part of Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index
Source
Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
189 places, 12,095 data points, 1960–2023
Last refreshed

The SPEI fulfills the requirements of a drought index since its multi-scalar character enables it to be used by different scientific disciplines to detect, monitor, and analyze droughts. Like the sc-PDSI and the SPI, the SPEI can measure drought severity according to its intensity and duration, and can identify the onset and end of drought episodes. The SPEI allows comparison of drought severity through time and space, since it can be calculated over a wide range of climates, as can the SPI.