Sri Lanka

What’s the weather like in Sri Lanka in January?

January falls in Sri Lanka’s dry season, making the new year a great time to visit the island. With glorious sunshine and low risk of rain, Sri Lanka has hot temperatures all day long, so make sure you pack plenty of sunscreen. To make the most of the warm, dry weather, head to the beaches on the southern and western coasts. In January the north and east of the island is still affected by the Maha monsoon, so you might get more rain in these areas. The higher central regions may have small amounts of rain, and cooler temperatures due to the altitude.

Averages

In Colombo, the average daily temperature in January is 27ºC. The sea temperature is a warm 28ºC, while average rainfall’s 62mm over the course of the month. In higher areas such as Kandy and Nuwara Eliya the temperature is lower yet pleasantly warm, but remember to bring some extra layers to wrap up at night. Colombo sees eight hours of sunshine each day, with sunset at around 6.10pm.