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Monthly Rainfall and Sunshine Hours
 Weather Patterns:
Sri i Lanka is in the tropics and has 2 very different and distinct dry and wet seasons. Sri Lanka also has 2 different monsoon seasons - from May to August the Yala monsoon affects the island's south-western half with heavy rainfall whilst while the dry season in this area runs from December to March/April. This area also averages the highest rainfall in Sri Lanka - averaging up to 4000mm a year. Rainfall in Sri Lanka tends to be emphatic – streets can become flooded in what seems like only minutes.
The second monsoon season - the Maha monsoon affects the North and East of Sri Lanka and usually runs from October to January with less average rainfall than the Yala monsoon season (only around 1000mm of rain annually), with the dry season from May to September. There is also a "between monsoon" period in October and November when rain sometimes affects much of the island.
Colombo and the lower coast regions average temperature is around 27°C, however at Kandy (altitude approx. 500m), the average temperature is much lower at around 20°C. In the hill country of Nuwara Eliya (around 1900m) it is very temperate with an average temperature of 16°C.
Best time to Visit:
Visiting Sri Lanka from a climate perspective, the best (dry) seasons in Sri Lanka are from December to March for the Hill Country and the West and South coast, and from April to September for the Cultural Triangle (ancient cities area) and the east coast. However it can be quite hot in these areas at this time.
December through March is generally agreed as the best time to visit weather wise and also helps to escape the harsh UK and European winter. Xmas is a major "mini peak season" with Sri Lankan's returning home for Xmas as well as overseas visitors and accommodation must be booked well in advance - up to 4 - 6 months for the best deals.
The period July - August is the Kandy Esala Perahera, the 10-day festival celebrating the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha, and this period is also the Kataragama festival in the South. Accommodation in both areas is very tight over this period and again must be booked months in advance.
Beaches and Swimming:
Sea temperature in Sri Lanka averages Around 27°C all year round, ideal for swimming, snorkelling, surfing or diving, so its always a 'good time' for relaxing on the beach in the coastal areas. The weather in Sri Lanka however has a mind of its own (!) and often (like the rest of the world!) reverses itself and rains where it should be sunny, and it's sunny where it should be raining!
Here is the BBC weather forecast for the next week for Colombo/Sri Lanka:
Below is the daily weather forecast for various areas in Sri Lanka from Weather Underground:
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