Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka: Weather Month by Month

Q: What is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?

February is the best month with 29.0°C highs, 22.0°C lows, 7.2h of sunshine and 20.0% rainy days. The months of February & January offer comparable conditions.

Q: How many hours of sunshine does Sri Lanka get in February?

Sri Lanka averages 7.2 sunshine hours per day in February. It is the sunniest month with a climate score of 8.1/10.

Q: What is the rainiest month in Sri Lanka?

November is the most unfavourable month with November has the lowest climate score of the year and the lowest climate score of the year.

Q: What are the temperatures at night in Sri Lanka in February?

In February, overnight lows reach 22.0°C, while afternoon highs average 29.0°C.

Q: Is Sri Lanka good in winter?

In winter (December-February), Sri Lanka scores 7.8/10 on average — Decent period conditions for cultural visits.. The best month overall remains February with a score of 8.1/10.

Q: When should you avoid Sri Lanka?

November is the most difficult month to visit Sri Lanka, with November has the lowest climate score of the year. Climate conditions are at their lowest of the year during this period.

Decide

When to visit Sri Lanka?

The decision rests on several criteria. Climate score, tourist crowds and feasible activities.

Verdict: In Sri Lanka, February and January clearly stand out. November concentrates the least favourable conditions.

Top & avoid

🏆 February · 8.5 January · 8.2 December · 7.8 March · 5.7 ⚠️ November · 4.9

8.2

Jan

8.5

Feb

5.7

Mar

5.0

Apr

5.3

May

5.6

Jun

5.5

Jul

5.5

Aug

5.3

Sep

5.1

Oct

4.9

Nov

7.8

Dec

Best period · ≥ 7 Decent period · 4 – 7 Tough conditions · < 4

What you grasp in 5 seconds

Sri Lanka offers 3 comfortable months, without any month really to avoid. The gap stays moderate: 8.5 in February vs 4.9 in November.

What to check next

Your tolerance for crowds and budget. The best months concentrate tourist saturation and higher prices. Shoulder seasons offer a good compromise.

Next action

Scroll down to the detailed table to compare month by month, then open the page of the month that interests you.

Compare the 12 months By your project

How we calculate the score

The score combines 4 weighted criteria using 10 years of real climate data (ERA5).

Source : ERA5 · Open-Meteo · 10 years (2016–2025) · Full methodology →

Understand

Compare all 12 months

Month-by-month details: temperature, rain, sunshine, score and verdict.

✅ 3 comfortable months (Jan · Feb · Dec)

Month	T° min	T° max	Rain %	mm/day	Sun	Score	Verdict
☀️ January →	21°C	28°C	27%	4.9mm	6.4h	8.2/10	Best period
☀️ February →	22°C	29°C	20%	2.6mm	7.2h	8.5/10	Best period
🌥️ March →	22°C	31°C	19%	2.6mm	7.4h	5.7/10	Decent period
🌥️ April →	24°C	33°C	27%	4.0mm	6.8h	5.0/10	Decent period
🌥️ May →	25°C	32°C	25%	5.4mm	7.1h	5.3/10	Decent period
🌥️ June →	25°C	32°C	10%	0.8mm	8.1h	5.6/10	Decent period
🌥️ July →	25°C	32°C	13%	1.1mm	7.8h	5.5/10	Decent period
🌥️ August →	24°C	32°C	16%	1.6mm	7.6h	5.5/10	Decent period
🌥️ September →	24°C	32°C	21%	2.7mm	7.1h	5.3/10	Decent period
🌥️ October →	23°C	30°C	40%	7.8mm	5.6h	5.1/10	Decent period
🌥️ November →	22°C	29°C	52%	11.9mm	4.3h	4.9/10	Decent period
☀️ December →	22°C	28°C	39%	7.6mm	5.5h	7.8/10	Best period

Rain %27%

Best period

Rain %20%

Best period

Rain %19%

Decent period

Rain %27%

Decent period

Rain %25%

Decent period

Rain %10%

Decent period

Rain %13%

Decent period

Rain %16%

Decent period

Rain %21%

Decent period

Rain %40%

Decent period

Rain %52%

Decent period

Rain %39%

Best period

📊 Quick read

Optimal window

Jan → Feb

Good transition

Mar · Nov

Tough period

none

🌡️ Detailed conditions (February)

🌡️ Feel

Warm

☀️ UV

8.2 · Very strong

💧 Humidity feel

21°C · Humid

☔ Rain

20% · 2.6 mm/day

🌅 Sunshine

7.2h/day

Week by week

Sri Lanka week by week: your odds of avoiding rain

For each week of the year: in how many years out of 10 it was mostly dry (at most 2 rainy days), 2016 to 2025.

Safest week: May 28 to Jun 3, mostly dry in 10 years out of 10 (0.4 rainy day(s) on average).

Most exposed: Oct 29 to Nov 4, mostly dry in 2 years out of 10 (4.4 rainy days on average).

Number = years out of 10 with at most 2 rainy days in the week. Source: ERA5 reanalysis (ECMWF) via Open-Meteo, daily data 2016-2025. Rainy day = at least 1 mm, as everywhere on the site.
Jan	Jan 16/1028°C	Jan 85/1027°C	Jan 159/1028°C	Jan 227/1028°C	Jan 297/1028°C
Feb	Feb 58/1029°C	Feb 128/1029°C	Feb 198/1030°C	Feb 266/1029°C
Mar	Mar 59/1031°C	Mar 127/1031°C	Mar 198/1032°C	Mar 269/1032°C
Apr	Apr 27/1033°C	Apr 96/1032°C	Apr 168/1033°C	Apr 236/1033°C	Apr 305/1033°C
May	May 74/1032°C	May 147/1031°C	May 218/1031°C	May 2810/1032°C
Jun	Jun 49/1032°C	Jun 118/1031°C	Jun 1810/1032°C	Jun 259/1032°C
Jul	Jul 29/1032°C	Jul 910/1032°C	Jul 169/1032°C	Jul 236/1032°C	Jul 309/1032°C
Aug	Aug 69/1032°C	Aug 138/1032°C	Aug 209/1032°C	Aug 279/1032°C
Sep	Sep 310/1032°C	Sep 109/1032°C	Sep 178/1032°C	Sep 246/1032°C
Oct	Oct 17/1032°C	Oct 86/1031°C	Oct 155/1030°C	Oct 224/1030°C	Oct 292/1030°C
Nov	Nov 54/1029°C	Nov 125/1029°C	Nov 193/1028°C	Nov 263/1028°C
Dec	Dec 35/1028°C	Dec 106/1028°C	Dec 173/1027°C	Dec 245/1028°C

A specific date? The app computes the same figure day by day.

10-year trend

Annual temperatures — Sri Lanka

Min/max temperature curves observed over the past 10 years (ERA5). Shows climate stability and trend.

Tailor

For your trip

A few angles depending on what kind of trip you are planning.

🌞 Dry season🏖️ Beaches🌊 Surf

Book

Plan your trip

Hotels at their lowest outside peak season, highest on comfortable months. Shoulder seasons offer a good price/climate compromise.

🏨

Stay

Hotels & rentals · Sri Lanka

Expedia →

🎟️

Activities

Tours, tickets, experiences

See ↓

✈️

Flights

Multi-airline comparator

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🎟️ Activities & tours · Sri Lanka

GetYourGuide selection · free cancellation

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Affiliate link · GetYourGuide

Practical info

What you need to know before you go

Three angles: the country (language, currency, safety, budget), the year-round climate, and the specifics of a tropical stay.

Country · Sri Lanka

🗣️LanguageCingalais

💶CurrencyRoupie sri-lankaise (Rs)

🚗DrivingLeft-hand

🛡️Safety ⓘVery safe · 1/5

💰Cost of living ⓘCheap · 2/5

🌡️ Climate

🌍Climate typeEquatorial tropical

📈Climate trend ⓘStable

🔥Hottest monthApril · 33°C

❄️Coolest monthJanuary · 28°C

🌧️Rainiest month ⓘNovember · 52%

🏝️ Tropical stay

🌞Dry season ⓘMay → Sep

🌧️Wet season ⓘDec → Mar

🌀Cyclones ⓘNone (equator)

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World ranking 2026See →

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Winter sunSee →

Where to go in JulySee →

🗺️ Climate map of 754 destinations

Location

Where is Sri Lanka ?

Global position + regional geographic context.

🌍 World

🔍 Geographic context

Equatorial tropical climate with a 8.5 → 4.9 gap between best and worst month. 10 years of ERA5 data to choose by project.

7.87°N · 80.77°E

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?

February is the best month with 29.0°C highs, 22.0°C lows, 7.2h of sunshine and 20.0% rainy days. The months of February & January offer comparable conditions.

How many hours of sunshine does Sri Lanka get in February?

Sri Lanka averages 7.2 sunshine hours per day in February. It is the sunniest month with a climate score of 8.1/10.

What is the rainiest month in Sri Lanka?

November is the most unfavourable month with November has the lowest climate score of the year and the lowest climate score of the year.

What are the temperatures at night in Sri Lanka in February?

In February, overnight lows reach 22.0°C, while afternoon highs average 29.0°C.

Is Sri Lanka good in winter?

In winter (December-February), Sri Lanka scores 7.8/10 on average — Decent period conditions for cultural visits.. The best month overall remains February with a score of 8.1/10.

When should you avoid Sri Lanka?

November is the most difficult month to visit Sri Lanka, with November has the lowest climate score of the year. Climate conditions are at their lowest of the year during this period.