Colombo weather by month & the best time to visit
Sri Lanka · coastal city break · tropical rainforest climate
The best time to visit Colombo is February — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 83/100), with January and July close behind. Colombo averages about 2,876 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 31°C / 88°F and roughly 71 mm of rain in February.
When is the best time to visit Colombo?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Colombo is February, then January and July. The dullest month is April (68/100, 226 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Colombo?
Colombo gets a lot of sun: around 2,876 hours a year. Conditions barely change through the year — only 15 Sunshine Score points separate February from April. Colombo is the sunniest of the 6 destinations tracked in Sri Lanka. The year's 2,001 mm of rain spreads fairly evenly across the months, with no pronounced dry season.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 82 | 29° / 84°F | 23° / 73°F | 76 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| February | 83 | 31° / 88°F | 23° / 73°F | 71 mm | 11 | 30° / 86°F |
| March | 75 | 31° / 88°F | 25° / 77°F | 115 mm | 12 | 31° / 88°F |
| April | 68 | 31° / 88°F | 26° / 79°F | 226 mm | 12 | 32° / 90°F |
| May | 68 | 30° / 86°F | 27° / 81°F | 224 mm | 10 | 31° / 88°F |
| June | 70 | 29° / 84°F | 26° / 79°F | 143 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| July | 78 | 28° / 82°F | 25° / 77°F | 99 mm | 10 | 30° / 86°F |
| August | 75 | 28° / 82°F | 25° / 77°F | 113 mm | 11 | 29° / 84°F |
| September | 68 | 29° / 84°F | 25° / 77°F | 162 mm | 11 | 30° / 86°F |
| October | 68 | 29° / 84°F | 25° / 77°F | 292 mm | 11 | 29° / 84°F |
| November | 68 | 29° / 84°F | 25° / 77°F | 305 mm | 9 | 30° / 86°F |
| December | 68 | 29° / 84°F | 24° / 75°F | 175 mm | 9 | 29° / 84°F |
Sea temperature in Colombo by month
The sea off Colombo is warmest in April at around 32°C / 90°F, and coolest in January at 29°C / 84°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly all year round. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How Colombo compares month by month: Colombo vs Kochi · Colombo vs Tiruchirappalli · Colombo vs Thiruvananthapuram · Colombo vs Malé · all comparisons
Colombo: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Colombo?
Colombo is a coastal city break in Sri Lanka with a tropical rainforest climate — the sea reaches 32°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) year-round.
How many hours of sunshine does Colombo get a year?
Colombo gets about 2,876 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around February.
When is the best time to visit Colombo?
The sunniest time to visit Colombo is February, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 83/100 (with January and July close behind). Expect daytime highs around 31°C / 88°F.
What is the least sunny month in Colombo?
April is the least sunny month in Colombo, scoring 68/100 with about 226 mm of rain.
Is Colombo the sunniest place in Sri Lanka?
Yes — with about 2,876 hours of sunshine a year, Colombo has the most annual sunshine of the 6 Sri Lanka destinations tracked by Sunshine Atlas.
What is the sea temperature in Colombo?
The sea in Colombo ranges from about 29°C (January) to 32°C (April). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Colombo?
The typical midday UV index in Colombo peaks around 12 (extreme) in March, easing to about 9 (very high) in November. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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