CLIMATE: WHEN TO GO TO SRI LANKA SRI LANKA

The climate of Sri Lanka is tropical with two distinct seasons, a dry and a wet season. The country is influenced by two monsoons: the south-west monsoon blowing between May and August, is the most intense of the two and brings rain along the southern coast and western and central highlands, and the north-east monsoon blowing between October and January, bringing rain along the coasts of northern and eastern Sri Lanka. Areas north and east of the country are the most arid and receive between 600 mm and 1200 mm of rain a year.

The south-west coast and mountain slopes of the southern central highlands are the most rainy areas, the capital Colombo, located along the southwestern coast, receives around 2,500 mm of rain a year, the most rainy months in Colombo are those between September and November and also April and May, the driest months are January and February. As in all areas near the equator, are also not negligible the zenithal rain, that is the increase of rainfall that exists in the periods immediately following the steps of the sun at zenith, that is April-May and October-November. 

The maximum average annual temperature along the coast are between 28°C and 34°C, while the average minimum temperatures vary between 22°C and 26°C, the highest temperatures are between March and June, while the lowest are between November and January. In the central highlands, temperatures are lower, because of height, at Nuwara Eliya (1990 m), the maximum average temperatures vary between 18°C in July and the 23°C in April, while the average minimum temperatures ranging between 9°C in January to 13°C in June.

The best time for a travel to Sri Lanka are the months between December and March along the west coast and southern highlands and in the interior, while the months between May and September are the best to visit the east coast. 

 

CLIMATIC TABLES:

Colombo Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rain (mm) 58 72 128 245 392 185 122 120 245 365 414 175 Min Temp (°C) 22 22 23 24 25 25 25 25 25 24 23 23 Max Temp (°C) 31 31 31 32 31 30 30 30 30 30 30 30

 

 

Kandy Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rain (mm) 79 74 72 187 144 132 128 113 155 263 295 195 Min Temp (°C) 18 18 19 21 21 21 21 21 20 20 20 19 Max Temp (°C) 28 30 31 31 30 28 28 28 28 28 28 28

 

 

Trincomalee Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rain (mm) 115 105 55 49 50 25 64 86 99 222 343 364 Min Temp (°C) 24 24 25 26 26 26 26 25 25 24 24 24 Max Temp (°C) 28 29 31 33 34 35 34 34 34 32 29 28