West & south coast Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Galle
Best months: January to March. Rainiest: April to November. Highs range from 83°F (28°C) to 87°F (30°C), sea 82–88°F (28–31°C).
Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka
The best time to visit Sri Lanka: on the west and south coast, January to March; on the east coast, February to April, June to August. The wettest stretch on the west and south coast is May, October, November. It is hottest on the east coast in July, with highs of 94°F (35°C).
Climate normals were checked on September 29, 2026, over a year ago. An update is due.
Climate normals checked September 29, 2026 · Source: Open-Meteo (ERA5) · How we calculate
Sri Lanka weather by month
Colour shows the month rating for the best region. Tap a month for details.
- Jan85°FJanuary: Good
- Feb86°FFebruary: Good
- Mar87°FMarch: Excellent
- Apr91°FApril: Excellent
- May92°FMay: Mixed
- Jun94°FJune: Good
- Jul94°FJuly: Good
- Aug93°FAugust: Good
- Sep93°FSeptember: Mixed
- Oct88°FOctober: Mixed
- Nov84°FNovember: Off-season
- Dec84°FDecember: Mixed
Excellent Good Mixed Off-season
Sri Lanka air and sea temperature by month
- West & south coast: air
- West & south coast: sea
- East coast: air
- East coast: sea
- Hill country: air
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West & south coast: air | 85 | 86 | 87 | 87 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 84 |
| West & south coast: sea | 83 | 83 | 85 | 87 | 86 | 84 | 83 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 84 |
| East coast: air | 82 | 83 | 87 | 91 | 92 | 94 | 94 | 93 | 93 | 88 | 84 | 83 |
| East coast: sea | 81 | 82 | 84 | 87 | 87 | 85 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 85 | 85 | 82 |
| Hill country: air | 81 | 84 | 87 | 88 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 80 | 80 |
Sri Lanka weather table, month by month
Long-term averages for each region. Tap a region to open its table.
West & south coast · Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Galle
| Month | Day high | Night low | Sea | Rainy days | Rainfall | Humidity | Sun, h/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 85°F (29°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 83°F (28°C) | 15 | 4.3 in (110 mm) | 84% | 10.4 |
| February | 86°F (30°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 83°F (29°C) | 14 | 3.3 in (83 mm) | 83% | 11.0 |
| March | 87°F (30°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 85°F (30°C) | 20 | 5.0 in (127 mm) | 83% | 10.8 |
| April | 87°F (30°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 87°F (31°C) | 27 | 8.2 in (208 mm) | 85% | 10.4 |
| May | 85°F (29°C) | 78°F (25°C) | 86°F (30°C) | 30 | 18.1 in (459 mm) | 87% | 8.6 |
| June | 84°F (29°C) | 78°F (25°C) | 84°F (29°C) | 29 | 11.5 in (293 mm) | 86% | 9.9 |
| July | 83°F (29°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 83°F (28°C) | 28 | 9.3 in (237 mm) | 85% | 10.0 |
| August | 83°F (28°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 82°F (28°C) | 29 | 10.3 in (262 mm) | 86% | 9.9 |
| September | 83°F (28°C) | 76°F (25°C) | 83°F (28°C) | 29 | 12.8 in (325 mm) | 86% | 9.0 |
| October | 83°F (28°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 84°F (29°C) | 29 | 15.9 in (404 mm) | 87% | 8.4 |
| November | 84°F (29°C) | 74°F (24°C) | 85°F (29°C) | 26 | 15.9 in (405 mm) | 88% | 7.9 |
| December | 84°F (29°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 84°F (29°C) | 22 | 7.1 in (180 mm) | 87% | 9.3 |
East coast · Trincomalee, Pasikudah
| Month | Day high | Night low | Sea | Rainy days | Rainfall | Humidity | Sun, h/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 82°F (28°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 81°F (27°C) | 15 | 6.5 in (166 mm) | 78% | 9.9 |
| February | 83°F (28°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 82°F (28°C) | 13 | 3.3 in (83 mm) | 77% | 11.0 |
| March | 87°F (30°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 84°F (29°C) | 11 | 2.1 in (54 mm) | 77% | 11.2 |
| April | 91°F (33°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 87°F (30°C) | 12 | 2.0 in (51 mm) | 77% | 11.2 |
| May | 92°F (34°C) | 79°F (26°C) | 87°F (30°C) | 15 | 4.4 in (113 mm) | 75% | 10.2 |
| June | 94°F (34°C) | 80°F (27°C) | 85°F (29°C) | 7 | 1.4 in (35 mm) | 68% | 10.7 |
| July | 94°F (35°C) | 79°F (26°C) | 84°F (29°C) | 9 | 1.9 in (49 mm) | 67% | 10.3 |
| August | 93°F (34°C) | 79°F (26°C) | 84°F (29°C) | 12 | 2.8 in (70 mm) | 69% | 10.3 |
| September | 93°F (34°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 84°F (29°C) | 13 | 3.9 in (100 mm) | 71% | 10.1 |
| October | 88°F (31°C) | 76°F (25°C) | 85°F (30°C) | 23 | 10.1 in (257 mm) | 80% | 9.3 |
| November | 84°F (29°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 85°F (29°C) | 25 | 16.2 in (411 mm) | 86% | 8.2 |
| December | 83°F (28°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 82°F (28°C) | 23 | 10.6 in (268 mm) | 83% | 8.9 |
Hill country · Kandy, Nuwara Eliya
| Month | Day high | Night low | Rainy days | Rainfall | Humidity | Sun, h/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 81°F (27°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 8 | 2.2 in (55 mm) | 78% | 10.3 |
| February | 84°F (29°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 9 | 2.3 in (58 mm) | 75% | 10.9 |
| March | 87°F (31°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 12 | 2.4 in (61 mm) | 73% | 10.8 |
| April | 88°F (31°C) | 71°F (21°C) | 20 | 5.6 in (141 mm) | 78% | 10.4 |
| May | 83°F (29°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 24 | 8.6 in (218 mm) | 84% | 9.3 |
| June | 82°F (28°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 21 | 3.5 in (90 mm) | 83% | 10.4 |
| July | 81°F (27°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 22 | 4.5 in (114 mm) | 82% | 9.9 |
| August | 81°F (27°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 21 | 5.4 in (138 mm) | 83% | 9.8 |
| September | 81°F (27°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 23 | 4.9 in (124 mm) | 83% | 9.5 |
| October | 81°F (27°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 26 | 12.0 in (306 mm) | 86% | 8.4 |
| November | 80°F (27°C) | 69°F (20°C) | 24 | 12.1 in (308 mm) | 87% | 7.8 |
| December | 80°F (27°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 17 | 5.8 in (147 mm) | 84% | 9.1 |
Best time to visit Sri Lanka for beaches, sightseeing and savings
| Goal | When to go |
|---|---|
| Beach holiday | West & south coast: January to March East coast: February to September |
| Sightseeing | West & south coast: February East coast: February to March |
| Peak season | March to April |
| Cheaper: shoulder season | February, May |
- Beach holiday — sea 75°F (24°C)+, highs 75–95°F (24–35°C), rain under 150 mm
- Sightseeing — highs 63–88°F (17–31°C), rain under 100 mm
- Peak season — the best weather rating of the year
- Cheaper: shoulder season — months next to peak season, weather still decent
Shoulder season is a weather-based estimate, not a price check: demand is lower in these months, so flights and hotels are usually cheaper than at peak. We do not compare prices here; check them for your dates.
- Compare with other destinations: where to go in March, where to go in April.
When to visit each region of Sri Lanka
East coast Trincomalee, Pasikudah
Best months: February to April, June to August. Rainiest: October to December. Highs range from 82°F (28°C) to 94°F (35°C), sea 81–86°F (27–30°C).
Hill country Kandy, Nuwara Eliya
Rainiest: May, October to November. Highs range from 80°F (27°C) to 88°F (31°C).
Best time to visit Sri Lanka: FAQ
When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?
The best time to visit Sri Lanka: on the west and south coast, January to March; on the east coast, February to April, June to August. The wettest stretch on the west and south coast is May, October, November. It is hottest on the east coast in July, with highs of 94°F (35°C).
What is Sri Lanka's rainy season?
Months with more than 200 mm (7.9 in) of rain: on the west and south coast, April to November; on the east coast, October to December. The wettest month on the west and south coast is May, with about 18.1 in (459 mm).
Is Sri Lanka hot all year?
Day highs on the west and south coast range from 83°F (28°C) to 87°F (30°C). The hottest month is July on the east coast, at 94°F (35°C).
Does the weather differ across Sri Lanka?
Yes. On the west and south coast, the best months are January to March; on the east coast, the best months are February to April, June to August.
When is it coolest in Sri Lanka?
December: highs in the hill country are about 80°F (27°C), lows 68°F (20°C).
Which months are driest in Sri Lanka?
On the west and south coast, January to March (about 3.3 in (83 mm) in the driest month); on the east coast, April, June to July (about 1.4 in (35 mm) in the driest month).
How cool are the nights in Sri Lanka?
Night lows across months and regions range from 67°F (20°C) to 80°F (27°C). The coolest nights are in the hill country in January, at about 67°F (20°C).
When is the sea warmest in Sri Lanka?
The water is warmest on the west and south coast in April, at 87°F (31°C). Sea at 25°C (77°F) or warmer: on the west and south coast, year-round; on the east coast, year-round.
Where the data comes from
- Air temperature, rainfall, humidity — ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus / ECMWF) via Open-Meteo, averaged over 2015–2024. Each region uses one point: the resort or city in its caption.
- Sea temperature — Open-Meteo Marine, average sea surface temperature for 2023–2026 (the source has no longer record yet).
- Sunshine — sunshine duration from the same ERA5 reanalysis (Open-Meteo), average hours of sun per day for the month, 2015–2024.
- Rainy days — days with at least 1 mm (0.04 in) of rain. Reanalysis picks up light rain more often than weather stations, so treat this as an upper bound.
- Month rating — one rule for every destination, based on three factors: day highs (ideal 75–91°F / 24–33°C), monthly rainfall (ideal under 80 mm / 3.1 in) and, for beach regions, sea temperature (ideal 77°F / 25°C or warmer). All ideal means Excellent; one slightly weaker factor means Good. Mixed means heavy rain (150 mm / 5.9 in or more), highs above 97°F (36°C) or a sea below 70°F (21°C). Off-season means highs of 100°F (38°C) or more, cold below 54°F (12°C), over 350 mm (13.8 in) of rain, or several problems at once. A country's rating follows its best region, so check the regional table.
- Licence — weather data by Open-Meteo.com under CC BY 4.0; ERA5 reanalysis by the Copernicus Climate Change Service / ECMWF. The normals are precomputed and stored on this site, so the page sends no requests to the source.
Checked September 29, 2026. Climate normals are refreshed yearly and the notes every 90 days. These are long-term averages, not a forecast: any given year can differ.
