Sri Lanka
Climate & Weather

Sri Lanka's tropical location ensures perennially high temperatures, with monthly averages between 72° F (22° C) and 92° F (33° C) in the lowlands. In the Central Highlands, higher altitudes account for lower temperatures, with monthly averages between 44° F (7° C) and 71° F (21.6° C).

Sri Lanka enjoys a tropical climate with varying temperatures according to location. Coastal or upland areas benefit from cool mountain or sea breezes all year round. Monsoon season is between May to September in the South & West and October to April in the North & East of the country. These monsoons give Sri Lanka its only seasons as it is located so near to the Equator. Temperatures average 27°C (80°F) in Colombo and 16°C (61°F) in Nuwara Eliya, which is on higher ground, all year round.

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Rainfall is the conspicuous factor in the seasonal and diurnal variations of the climate of Sri Lanka. Most parts of the country receive an average annual rainfall of more than 50 inches (1,270 millimeters). However, regional differences in the amount of rain, its seasonality, and its variability and effectiveness have formed the basis of a distinction in Sri Lanka between a Wet Zone and a Dry Zone.

This ensures that even during the monsoon season the beach areas are still getting enough sunny and dry weather as it rains mostly for a few hours during the night.