Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Strong winds with speeds of up to 120 mph are likely to lash different parts of Burma during the period from now till the end of April, the Meteorology and Hydrology Department said in a weather warning.

The strong winds will occur mainly in upper Sagaing Division, upper Kachin State, Mon State, Tanintharyi Division, inner Shan State and some places in Irrawaddy Delta region. It will be accompanied by heavy rain and hailstorms in some places, the Department in Naypyitaw said.

"The wind will be strong in narrow places but the duration will be very short. The wind speed may reach up to 120 mph and will last about 30 minutes. The strong winds will flow through a narrow corridor of one and-a-half miles in width and five to 10 miles in length," a high ranking official from the department told Mizzima.

The temperature in southern Burma is above normal while it is below normal in northern Burma, he said.

"Our general forecast is there will be strong winds, hailstorm and heavy rains due to cloud formations elsewhere in Burma until the end of April and there will be scattered heavy rains also," he added.

The warning has been issued to all river boats plying on the waterway in Irrawaddy delta region. They have been urged to listen to the daily weather forecast on a regular basis, he added.

Trees are likely to be uprooted and roofs can be ripped off along the course of the strong winds.

The weather radar built in 1979 in Kyaukphyu, Rakhine State, which can trace clouds has been out of order since 2004 so it will be very difficult to forecast tornados, the official from the Department said.