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Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka · Equatorial tropical

Sri Lanka: best months to visit

February (8.5/10) · November (4.9/10).

📅 Data updated: October 2026 🛰️ ERA5 · 10 years 📍 7.87°N · 80.77°E
⚡ Quick answer
February
Depends on your goals
8.5/10
☀️ Feb
Top score (8.5/10)
🌤️ Jan
Alt. (8.2/10)
Nov
Plus rude (4.9/10)
🌴 Tropical☀️ High UV🌧️ Monsoon season
Photo par Ibrahim Mohamed via Unsplash
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 favorable 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)
MonthT° minT° maxRain %mm/daySunScoreVerdict
☀️ January →70°F82°F27%4.9mm6.4h8.2/10Best period
☀️ February →72°F84°F20%2.6mm7.2h8.5/10Best period
🌥️ March →72°F88°F19%2.6mm7.4h5.7/10Decent period
🌥️ April →75°F91°F27%4.0mm6.8h5.0/10Decent period
🌥️ May →77°F90°F25%5.4mm7.1h5.3/10Decent period
🌥️ June →77°F90°F10%0.8mm8.1h5.6/10Decent period
🌥️ July →77°F90°F13%1.1mm7.8h5.5/10Decent period
🌥️ August →75°F90°F16%1.6mm7.6h5.5/10Decent period
🌥️ September →75°F90°F21%2.7mm7.1h5.3/10Decent period
🌥️ October →73°F86°F40%7.8mm5.6h5.1/10Decent period
🌥️ November →72°F84°F52%11.9mm4.3h4.9/10Decent period
☀️ December →72°F82°F39%7.6mm5.5h7.8/10Best period
☀️ January
8.2/10
T°70°F / 82°F
Rain %27%
Sun6.4h
Best period
☀️ February
8.5/10
T°72°F / 84°F
Rain %20%
Sun7.2h
Best period
🌥️ March
5.7/10
T°72°F / 88°F
Rain %19%
Sun7.4h
Decent period
🌥️ April
5.0/10
T°75°F / 91°F
Rain %27%
Sun6.8h
Decent period
🌥️ May
5.3/10
T°77°F / 90°F
Rain %25%
Sun7.1h
Decent period
🌥️ June
5.6/10
T°77°F / 90°F
Rain %10%
Sun8.1h
Decent period
🌥️ July
5.5/10
T°77°F / 90°F
Rain %13%
Sun7.8h
Decent period
🌥️ August
5.5/10
T°75°F / 90°F
Rain %16%
Sun7.6h
Decent period
🌥️ September
5.3/10
T°75°F / 90°F
Rain %21%
Sun7.1h
Decent period
🌥️ October
5.1/10
T°73°F / 86°F
Rain %40%
Sun5.6h
Decent period
🌥️ November
4.9/10
T°72°F / 84°F
Rain %52%
Sun4.3h
Decent period
☀️ December
7.8/10
T°72°F / 82°F
Rain %39%
Sun5.5h
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
69°F · 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.
JanJan 16/1082°FJan 85/1081°FJan 159/1082°FJan 227/1082°FJan 297/1082°F
FebFeb 58/1083°FFeb 128/1084°FFeb 198/1085°FFeb 266/1085°F
MarMar 59/1087°FMar 127/1088°FMar 198/1090°FMar 269/1090°F
AprApr 27/1091°FApr 96/1090°FApr 168/1092°FApr 236/1092°FApr 305/1092°F
MayMay 74/1090°FMay 147/1088°FMay 218/1088°FMay 2810/1089°F
JunJun 49/1089°FJun 118/1089°FJun 1810/1089°FJun 259/1089°F
JulJul 29/1090°FJul 910/1089°FJul 169/1089°FJul 236/1089°FJul 309/1089°F
AugAug 69/1089°FAug 138/1089°FAug 209/1090°FAug 279/1089°F
SepSep 310/1089°FSep 109/1090°FSep 178/1089°FSep 246/1089°F
OctOct 17/1089°FOct 86/1088°FOct 155/1086°FOct 224/1086°FOct 292/1086°F
NovNov 54/1084°FNov 125/1084°FNov 193/1083°FNov 263/1082°F
DecDec 35/1083°FDec 106/1082°FDec 173/1081°FDec 245/1082°F

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.

T° maxT° meanT° min68°72°75°79°82°86°90°201620172018201920202021202220232024202588°F — decade peak (2024)+-0.05°F / decade
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
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✈️
Flights
Multi-airline comparator
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🎟️ Activities & tours · Sri Lanka

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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 · 91°F
❄️Coolest monthJanuary · 82°F
🌧️Rainiest month ⓘNovember · 52%

🏝️ Tropical stay

🌞Dry season ⓘMay → Sep
🌧️Wet season ⓘDec → Mar
🌀Cyclones ⓘNone (equator)
Explore

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Nearby destinations

Kandy · Sri Lanka41 mi →Ella · Sri Lanka71 mi →Colombo · Sri Lanka91 mi →Pondicherry · India288 mi →

Guides & rankings

World ranking 2026See →
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Winter sunSee →
Where to go in JulySee →
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 84°F highs, 72°F 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 72°F, while afternoon highs average 84°F.
Is Sri Lanka good in winter?
In winter (December-February), Sri Lanka scores 7.8/10 on average — Acceptable 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.