Warm all year: around 30 °C on the coast and 20 °C in the hills. What changes is the rain – which moves around the island with the two monsoons.
Right now: late September
The south-west monsoon is easing. The east coast is still dry and warm; the south and west see showers. From October, expect short afternoon rain island-wide.
Temperature, rain & sea by region
Typical values – for advice on when to go, see our best-time guide.
Month blocks
What the weather is usually like around the island.
How Sri Lanka’s weather works
Sri Lanka lies just north of the equator, so temperatures change very little through the year. What changes is the rain. Two monsoons bring wet seasons to opposite sides of the island: the south-west monsoon from about May to September, and the north-east monsoon from about December to February. Between them, in October–November and in March–April, inter-monsoon showers can fall anywhere, usually in the afternoon.
Altitude matters as much as the season. Colombo and the coasts are hot and humid, with daytime highs around 30–31 °C. Kandy, at about 500 metres, is a few degrees cooler. Nuwara Eliya, at nearly 1,900 metres, has mild days around 20 °C and cool nights that can drop below 10 °C – bring a jumper.
Rainfall: what “wet season” really means
Monsoon rain in Sri Lanka rarely means days of grey drizzle. More often it comes as a heavy shower of an hour or two, followed by sunshine. Mornings are frequently dry. On the wet side of the island, however, the sea becomes rough and swimming can be dangerous, and hiking trails in the hill country can be slippery.
The wettest months overall are October and November, when the inter-monsoon brings rain to most of the island at once. The driest period for the south and west is January to March; for the east and north it is June to September.
Sea temperature and swimming
The sea is warm all year, between about 27 and 30 °C. What decides whether you can swim is not the temperature but the swell. Beaches on the south and west coasts are calm from December to April; the east coast is calm from May to September. Always follow the flags and the advice of hotel staff – currents can be strong even on sunny days.
Humidity, sun and what to pack
Humidity is high on the coasts and in the lowlands, typically 70–85 %. Light, breathable clothes and plenty of water help; air-conditioned vehicles and hotels make long days comfortable. The sun is strong at this latitude all year – a hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen are essential, even when it is cloudy.
For the hill country, pack a warm layer for the evenings and a light rain jacket. Our packing list covers everything else.
Weather in Colombo and on the west coast
Colombo is hot and humid all year, with daytime highs of around 30–31 °C and nights around 24–25 °C. The driest months are January to March. May and June are wet with the arrival of the south-west monsoon, and October and November bring heavy inter-monsoon showers. Negombo, close to the airport, follows the same pattern.
Weather on the south coast
Galle, Unawatuna, Mirissa and Tangalle are warm all year, around 29–31 °C by day. December to April is dry and calm – the classic beach season. From May to September the south-west monsoon brings rain showers, strong winds and big waves, and swimming is often unsafe. Tangalle, further east, tends to be a little drier than Galle.
Weather in the hill country
Temperatures fall by roughly 6 °C for every 1,000 metres of altitude. Kandy, at around 500 metres, has days of 27–30 °C. Nuwara Eliya, at nearly 1,900 metres, has days of 18–22 °C and nights that can fall below 10 °C in January and February, occasionally with morning frost on Horton Plains. Ella, at around 1,000 metres, is pleasantly mild.
Mist and cloud are common in the afternoons, particularly on the western side of the hills during the south-west monsoon. Mornings are usually the clearest time for views and walks.
Weather in the Cultural Triangle
Sigiriya, Dambulla and Polonnaruwa lie in the dry zone. Days are hot, often 31–33 °C from March to September. Most rain falls from October to December with the north-east monsoon and the inter-monsoon. Climb Sigiriya early in the morning to avoid the heat.
Weather on the east coast and in the north
Trincomalee, Pasikudah and Arugam Bay are hot and dry from May to September, with calm seas and highs of 32–33 °C. From November to January the north-east monsoon brings heavy rain and rough seas. Jaffna in the far north is the hottest and driest part of the island, with most rain between October and December.
Cyclones and extreme weather
Tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal occasionally bring very heavy rain, mostly in November and December and mainly to the north and east. Landslides can affect roads in the hill country after prolonged rain. Our team in Kandy follows the forecasts closely and adjusts routes when needed – one of the advantages of travelling with a local operator.
Frequently asked questions
April, with highs of 32–33 °C on the coast.
Rarely. Monsoon rain usually comes in heavy bursts, often in the afternoon.
27–30 °C all year round.
