Sri Lanka Climate and Weather


Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia, located north of the equator in the Indian Ocean and south of India. The island of Sri Lanka is roughly pear-shaped, like a huge gem. Sri Lanka is in the tropics and is located in a tropical marine climate zone, so there are no obvious four seasons throughout the year, only the rainy season and the dry season.
 

 

Sri Lanka Climate & Weather

Central and southern Sri Lanka is a plateau, and the Piduru Taraggrad Mountain is 2524 meters above sea level, the highest point in the country. The northern and coastal areas are plains. The northern coastal plain is wide, and the southern and western coastal plains are relatively narrow, with an elevation of 150 meters.


Sri Lanka is a country close to the equator and it is dominated by a tropical climate. Sri Lanka belongs to a tropical maritime climate and is located in the tropics. It is like summer all year round. It is not very hot due to the sea breeze. Because of its proximity to the equator, there is no obvious difference between the four seasons in Sri Lanka, only the distinction between the rainy season and the dry season.
 



The altitude of different regions affects the temperature in Sri Lanka. The average annual temperature in Sri Lanka is around 23°C. The average maximum temperature in coastal areas is 31.3°C, and the average minimum temperature is 23.8°C. The average maximum temperature in mountain areas is 26.1°C, and the average minimum temperature is 16.5°C.


Overall, the temperature in the plains can reach 26°C-28°C, while in the central highlands it is only 14°C-16°C. The temperature is the lowest from November to January each year, and the temperature is the highest from February to May.

 

Rainy Season in Sri Lanka

The rainy season is from May to August and November to February each year, when the southwest monsoon and northeast monsoon pass through Sri Lanka. Annual rainfall is 2540 mm to 5080 mm in the southwest, and less than 1250 mm in the northwest and southeast. The two monsoon seasons in Sri Lanka also make the Sri Lankan climate more complicated and vary from region to region.


From May to August each year, the water brought by the southwest monsoon from the Indian Ocean causes heavy rainfall on the southern and western coasts and the central highlands. Some of the windward slopes will even usher in 250 cm of rainfall per month.
 



When the northeast monsoon comes, the water from the Bay of Bengal will cause heavy rainfall in the northeastern part of the island. The duration lasts from December to March of the following year, when the northeast slope of the mountain may be submerged in rainfall up to 125 cm.


At this time, the weather in Sri Lanka is relatively humid, but the temperature is still unabated. So, when you travel to beautiful Sri Lanka, you'd better bring the necessary sunscreen products, such as umbrellas, sunglasses, and sun cream.

 

Dry Season in Sri Lanka

The dry season falls from September to October in Sri Lanka. The weather is dry, while some areas have a small amount of rainfall. It is the best time to visit Sri Lanka. April is also the dry season in Sri Lanka, but it's the hottest time of the year.

 

Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka

The best time to travel in Sri Lanka is September and October every year, when is the dry season. It is suitable for traveling. In addition, there is a Kandy Esala Perahera (Buddha Tooth Festival) from July to August every year. Visitors who like Buddhism can choose this time to go.
 



From December to March in the winter, many Europeans go to Sri Lanka to spend the winter, especially between Christmas and New Year's Day, which is the peak tourist season. At this time, hotel reservations are relatively tight.

 

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