Weather by month for central Sri Lanka, the best months to go and how Sri Lanka's regions differ, scored from 10 years of climate data.
Jan, Feb
The highest month scores: comfortable temperatures, little rain and plenty of sun.
Highs 24°C · 18–19 rain days
Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec
Still good weather, just not quite the top months.
Highs 24°C to 28°C · 16–26 rain days
Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
No months with tough weather, but these are only average.
Highs 28°C to 29°C · 15–18 rain days
Weather by month
Average highs and lows, rain days, sunshine and our month score out of 10.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best month: January | 24°C / 17°C | 19 days (184 mm) | 9.6 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| Best month: February | 24°C / 17°C | 18 days (138 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| March | 26°C / 18°C | 16 days (95 mm) | 10.5 h/day | 6.8/10 |
| April | 28°C / 19°C | 20 days (151 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 6.3/10 |
| May | 28°C / 20°C | 21 days (183 mm) | 9.6 h/day | 6.0/10 |
| June | 29°C / 20°C | 16 days (93 mm) | 10.7 h/day | 4.7/10 |
| July | 29°C / 20°C | 15 days (90 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 4.4/10 |
| August | 29°C / 20°C | 16 days (110 mm) | 10.1 h/day | 4.5/10 |
| September | 28°C / 19°C | 18 days (165 mm) | 9.6 h/day | 4.8/10 |
| October | 27°C / 19°C | 24 days (299 mm) | 8.4 h/day | 6.7/10 |
| November | 25°C / 18°C | 26 days (360 mm) | 7.9 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| December | 24°C / 18°C | 24 days (279 mm) | 8.5 h/day | 7.0/10 |
Figures for central Sri Lanka; the country's best months are weighted across its cities. Best months are highlighted. How we score months
Month by month
24°C / 17°C · 19 rain days · 9.6 h sun
January has highs of 23.6°C, lows of 16.9°C and about 19 rain days, with 184 mm of rain. It scores 7 and is rated good. With 9.6 hours of sun a day, you can expect showers but also long dry spells.
24°C / 17°C · 18 rain days · 10.3 h sun
February warms slightly to a high of 24.4°C. Rain eases to about 18 days and 138 mm. It scores 7 and is rated good, with 10.3 hours of sun a day, which makes it one of the better months to go.
26°C / 18°C · 16 rain days · 10.5 h sun
March has a high of 26.4°C, 16 rain days and 95 mm of rain. That is the least rain of any month rated good. It scores 6.8 and is rated good, with 10.5 hours of sun a day. If you want fewer wet days, this is a strong choice.
28°C / 19°C · 20 rain days · 10.3 h sun
April reaches a high of 27.5°C. Rain picks up again to about 20 days and 151 mm. It scores 6.3 and is still rated good, with 10.3 hours of sun a day.
28°C / 20°C · 21 rain days · 9.6 h sun
May is hot and wet, with a high of 28°C, about 21 rain days and 183 mm of rain. It scores 6, the lowest of the months rated good. Go if your dates are fixed, but March suits most travellers better.
29°C / 20°C · 16 rain days · 10.7 h sun
June has a high of 28.7°C, about 16 rain days and 93 mm of rain. It gets 10.7 hours of sun a day, the most of any month. Even so, the score drops to 4.7 and the month is only rated ok, so it is not the best time to go.
29°C / 20°C · 15 rain days · 10.3 h sun
July is the warmest month, with a high of 29.1°C. It also has the fewest rain days, 15.4, and the least rain, 90 mm. But it scores 4.4, the lowest of the year, and is rated only ok. If you can choose, pick a different month.
29°C / 20°C · 16 rain days · 10.1 h sun
August has a high of 29°C, about 16 rain days and 110 mm of rain. It scores 4.5 and is rated only ok, one of the weakest months of the year. It is a poor time to go if you can travel in another month.
28°C / 19°C · 18 rain days · 9.6 h sun
September has a high of 28.4°C, about 18 rain days and 165 mm of rain. It scores 4.8 and is rated ok. Rain is building towards the wettest part of the year, so it is not a good time to go.
27°C / 19°C · 24 rain days · 8.4 h sun
October has a high of 26.7°C, but rain rises sharply to about 24 days and 299 mm. Sun drops to 8.4 hours a day. It scores 6.7 and is rated good, but pack for frequent rain.
25°C / 18°C · 26 rain days · 7.9 h sun
November is the wettest month, with 26 rain days and 360 mm of rain. It also has the least sun, at 7.9 hours a day, and a high of 24.9°C. It scores 7 and is rated good, but if you dislike rain, this is a bad month to go.
24°C / 18°C · 24 rain days · 8.5 h sun
December has a high of 24.2°C, 24 rain days and 279 mm of rain. It gets 8.5 hours of sun a day. It scores 7 and is rated good, but it is still wet, so expect rain on most days.
By trip type
City sightseeing
January and February are the best months for city trips. Highs stay around 24°C, well below the 29°C of July, so walking around is more comfortable. Rain still falls on about 18–19 days a month, so carry an umbrella.
Hiking & nature
January and December suit hiking, with highs of about 24°C. January is the better choice. December brings 279 mm of rain over 24 days, against 184 mm in January, so expect muddy, slippery trails in December.
Keep planning
FAQ
Yes. January and February are our best months, and both score 7, the joint highest rating. January is mild, with highs of 23.6°C, lows of 16.9°C and 9.6 hours of sun a day. It is not dry, though. Expect rain on about 19 days and 184 mm in total, so pack for showers.
Only if you can accept a lot of rain. November scores 7 and is rated good, but it is the wettest month in the data: 360 mm of rain on 26 days. It also has the least sun, at 7.9 hours a day. If you want dry days, choose March, June or July instead.
Yes, if fewer rainy days matter to you. It is rated only ok, with a score of 4.5. Yet August is one of the drier months, with 110 mm of rain on 15.5 days and 10.1 hours of sun. It is also one of the hottest months, with highs of 29°C. Other months still rank higher overall.
July is the driest month, with 90 mm of rain on 15.4 days, but it scores only 4.4. June and March are close, at 93 mm and 95 mm. For a balance of low rain and a good rating, March works well. It scores 6.8 and gets 10.5 hours of sun, with rain on 16 days.
Enter to search · Esc to close