Colombo is rarely comfortable to be outside at midday. It comes closest in mid January, and even then it is too hot. For sun, aim for mid January.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
The sun season here falls in mid January. It peaks in mid January, at 57. That is a short window, about ten days a year. The weakest stretch is from April to early May, when it drops to 8, mostly because it is too hot. The clearest skies come in February, when the sky is typically 46% covered at midday (partly cloudy).
Being outside is not what Colombo is for: the Easy outdoors rating tops out at 8, mostly because it is too hot.
Walking is not what Colombo is for: the Active outdoors rating tops out at 4, mostly because it is too warm.
The year, measured
The average temperature in Colombo over the whole year is 27°C. April is the hottest month, with highs of about 31°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about 23°C. The rainy (wet) season in Colombo runs from September to November, peaking in October with a 23% chance of rain on a given day. The dry season is December to April; February is the driest month, at 4%. Winds in Colombo are highest in June, averaging 2.3 m/s (8 km/h), and lightest in November, at 1.2 m/s (4 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the W. The clearest skies in Colombo come in February, when the sky is typically 46% covered; October is the cloudiest month, at 70%.
Month by month Colombo climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30°C | 23°C | 33°C | 5% | 51% | 1.8 m/s | 7 | 54 | 3 |
| February | 31°C | 24°C | 34°C | 4% | 46% | 1.7 m/s | 5 | 39 | 3 |
| March | 31°C | 25°C | 35°C | 6% | 51% | 1.3 m/s | 4 | 21 | 2 |
| April | 31°C | 26°C | 36°C | 10% | 57% | 1.3 m/s | 4 | 10 | 2 |
| May | 30°C | 26°C | 35°C | 20% | 69% | 1.9 m/s | 3 | 16 | 2 |
| June | 30°C | 27°C | 34°C | 17% | 67% | 2.3 m/s | 3 | 26 | 2 |
| July | 30°C | 26°C | 33°C | 10% | 66% | 2.3 m/s | 4 | 35 | 3 |
| August | 29°C | 26°C | 33°C | 10% | 68% | 2.2 m/s | 4 | 41 | 2 |
| September | 29°C | 26°C | 33°C | 21% | 69% | 2.0 m/s | 4 | 36 | 2 |
| October | 29°C | 25°C | 33°C | 23% | 70% | 1.5 m/s | 4 | 34 | 2 |
| November | 30°C | 24°C | 34°C | 19% | 67% | 1.2 m/s | 4 | 33 | 2 |
| December | 30°C | 24°C | 33°C | 10% | 58% | 1.5 m/s | 6 | 44 | 3 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short Colombo weather by season
Year round, Colombo has days of about 29°C at their warmest in September, its coolest month, and 31°C in April, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from 23°C to 27°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 27°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around October and least likely around February. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
Colombo weather in winterDecember to February
Winter in Colombo has typical daily highs of about 30°C and lows of about 24°C, with a 6% chance of rain on a given day.
Colombo weather in springMarch to May
Spring in Colombo has typical daily highs of about 31°C and lows of about 26°C, with a 12% chance of rain on a given day.
Colombo weather in summerJune to August
Summer in Colombo has typical daily highs of about 30°C and lows of about 26°C, with a 12% chance of rain on a given day.
Colombo weather in autumnSeptember to November
Autumn in Colombo has typical daily highs of about 29°C and lows of about 25°C, with a 21% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in Colombo?
The rainy (wet) season in Colombo runs from September to November, peaking in October with a 23% chance of rain on a given day. The dry season is December to April; February is the driest month, at 4%.
What time of year is Colombo windiest?
Winds in Colombo are highest in June, averaging 2.3 m/s (8 km/h), and lightest in November, at 1.2 m/s (4 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the W.
What is the average temperature in Colombo year round?
The average temperature in Colombo over the whole year is 27°C. April is the hottest month, with highs of about 31°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about 23°C.
Where to go instead in late April, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.