ClimateForecastJanuaryFebruary >>

Weather in January in Sri Lanka

Are you planning a trip a to Sri Lanka in January and wondering what kind of weather to expect? This page has all the details you need.

What is the weather like in Sri Lanka in January?

January in Sri Lanka generally has temperatures that range from warm to very warm, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy.

Temperatures

During the day the temperature is warm in Ramboda at 25°C and very warm in Biyagama at 33°C. As night falls, temperatures generally drop to 23°C in Biyagama and 17°C in Ramboda.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Chilaw with an average of 43 mm to heavy rainfall in Adams Peak with 299 mm.

Average sunshine

Most cities enjoy a balanced amount of sunshine, with around 166 hours of sunlight anticipated in Kandy. This ensures the days are neither too dim nor excessively sunny.

For a closer look at January's conditions in Sri Lanka, see the map below. For a more detailed look at Sri Lanka's yearly weather, check out our Sri Lanka climate page.

Where to go in Sri Lanka in January

Find more information for the most popular destinations in the Sri Lanka on the map below. Click on a destination dot for more detailes.

Map not visible? Whoops sorry! Please refresh the page.
Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor
Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C and 29°C and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm a month).

Popular destinations

What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in Sri Lanka?

Kandy

In January Kandy generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 19°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

Kandy
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
27°C 
20°C 
143 hours 
220 mm 
13 days 
27°C 
19°C 
166 hours 
108 mm 
6 days 
29°C 
19°C 
162 hours 
99 mm 
5 days 
Climate in Kandy

Hikkaduwa

In January Hikkaduwa generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

Hikkaduwa
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
29°C 
25°C 
220 hours 
171 mm 
10 days 
29°C 
25°C 
250 hours 
78 mm 
5 days 
30°C 
25°C 
249 hours 
72 mm 
5 days 
Climate in Hikkaduwa

Negombo

In January Negombo generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 31°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 24°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

Negombo
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
31°C 
24°C 
217 hours 
151 mm 
10 days 
31°C 
24°C 
248 hours 
48 mm 
4 days 
32°C 
25°C 
246 hours 
56 mm 
4 days 
Climate in Negombo

Mirissa

In January Mirissa generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 30°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 24°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

Mirissa
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
30°C 
25°C 
220 hours 
181 mm 
10 days 
30°C 
24°C 
250 hours 
86 mm 
5 days 
31°C 
25°C 
249 hours 
76 mm 
5 days 
Climate in Mirissa

Nuwara Eliya

In January Nuwara Eliya generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 25°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 18°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

Nuwara Eliya
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
25°C 
18°C 
143 hours 
229 mm 
13 days 
25°C 
18°C 
166 hours 
124 mm 
6 days 
26°C 
18°C 
162 hours 
107 mm 
6 days 
Climate in Nuwara Eliya

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Sri Lanka.

Is January the best time to visit Sri Lanka?

In our opinion, January is a good time to visit Sri Lanka with overall pleasant weather in Kandy.

On average, the best time to visit Sri Lanka is in February with generally perfect weather in Kandy. On the other hand, the weather in April, October and November tend to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Sri Lanka. Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.

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  • Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Sri Lanka? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Sri Lanka.

    Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.