December Weather in Sri Lanka - 2024
Sri Lanka is a tropical island with the potential to be your perfect winter destination. Lush palm trees lined along its coastline that seem to never end, abundant wildlife, and almost heavenly weather also play a key role in why many snowbirds choose to spend their winter here. Sri Lanka is the 25th largest island on the planet and is nestled on the southwest end of the Indian Ocean between the Arabian sea and the Bay of Bengal.
There is evidence of human settlement in what is now Sri Lanka that dates back to prehistoric times over 125,000 years. This island nation is blessed with a rich and diverse culture. The country was also used as an important trading hub along the Silk Road. Sri Lanka is home to various UNESCO heritage sights and archaeologists have discovered evidence that shows early settlers in Sri Lankan caves had a modern way of life such as agricultural practices and hunting.
Generally, December in Sri Lanka will be really nice, with an average temperature of around 82°F / 28°C. But due to the extreme humidity it can feel extremely uncomfortable. You can expect around 14 rainy days, with on average 3.6 inches / 91 mm of rain during the month of December.
Contents
- 1 December weather in Sri Lanka
- 2 December weather in Sri Lanka in more detail
- 3 What to do in Sri Lanka in December
- 4 Is it humid in Sri Lanka in December?
- 5 Is December a good time to go to Sri Lanka?
- 6 Does it rain all day in Sri Lanka in December?
- 7 Is December the rainiest month in Sri Lanka?
- 8 Is December the most sunniest month in Sri Lanka?
- 9 More information about Sri Lanka
- 10 Weather in Sri Lanka in other months
- 11 What to do in Sri Lanka for each month
December weather in Sri Lanka
To get a good overview of the type of weather you can expect in December in Sri Lanka, we will look at the day and night temperature, minimum and maximum water temperature, and if December is comfortable or humidGenerally, December in Sri Lanka will be really nice. Historical data shows that you can expect an average temperature of around 82°F / 28°C. But due to the extreme humidity it can feel extremely uncomfortable. During the night, it will cool down to around 71°F / 22°C. Many will prefer a location with air conditioning due to the high humidity level.
Sri Lanka has its share of rainy days in December. You can expect around 14 rainy days, with on average 3.6 inches / 91 mm of rain during the whole month.
But remember that rain can be short and heavy for many tropical locations, particularly during the rainy season. It means that the number of days with rain and the amount of rain can be high, but you will still see many lovely days with a short period of heavy rain.
December weather in Sri Lanka in more detail
To get a better feeling for the type of weather, you can expect in December in Sri Lanka, we will look at the temperature, rain, wind, humidity, water temperature, and sun and clouds- What will the temperature be in Sri Lanka in December
Generally, you can expect in December an average temperature of 82°F / 28°C during the day and an average of 71°F / 22°C during the night. In December, during the warmest part of the afternoon, the temperature can often get as high as 86°F / 30°C, and at the end of the night, it can get as low as 66°F / 19°C.
When looking at the whole year, January, November and December are the coldest months, with an average temperature of around 82°F / 28°C. March, April and May are the hottest months, with an average temperature of around 89°F / 32°C. When comparing December with the temperature in the month before and after, this is equal to November, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 82°F / 28°C. And equal to January, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 82°F / 28°C.
But average temperatures only tell half of the story. It is also good to check the maximum and minimum temperatures. When looking at the whole year, April is the hottest month, with a temperature of around 95°F / 35°C. January and December are the coldest months, with a temperature of around 86°F / 30°C. When comparing December with the temperature in the month before and after, this is almost equal to November, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 87°F / 31°C. And equal to January, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 86°F / 30°C.
In the following graph, you can see how many cold and hot days you can expect in Sri Lanka each month:
- Can you expect rain in December in Sri Lanka?
Generally, you can expect about 14 rain days in December, with on average 3.6 inches / 91 mm of rain.
When looking at the whole year, March is the dryest month, with an average rainfall of around 0.7 inches / 19 mmmm. November is the wettest month, with an average rainfall of around 6.3 inches / 159 mmmm. When comparing December with the month before and after, this is a lot less than November, which sees around 6.3 inches / 159 mm of rain. And a lot more than January, which sees around 1.5 inches / 38 mm of rain
If we look at the number of days with rain, March is the month with the least amount of rain days with an average of between 5 and 6 days. November is the month with the most rain days with around 20 days. When comparing December with the month before and after, this is less than November, which sees around 20 days of rain. And more than January, which sees an average of between 7 and 8 days of rain
There is one thing that is important to know, in many tropical destinations rain can be short and heavy, particularly during the rainy season. It means that the number of days with rain and the amount of rain can be high, but you will still see many lovely days with a short period of heavy rain.- What will the water temperature be in Sri Lanka for December
You can expect in December, the water temperature for Sri Lanka to be between 84°F / 29°C and 80°F / 27°C.
To compare the water temperature we will use the maximum water temperature. You can expect this temperature on a more sunny day, close to the shore, when the wind does not mix the relatively warmer and colder water.
April has the highest water temperature, with around 87°F / 31°C. July and August And have the lowest water temperature, with an average of between 82°F / 28°C and 84°F / 29°C. When comparing the water temperature from December with the month before and after, December has a water temperature almost equal to November, with a water temperature of around 86°F / 30°C. And almost equal to the water temperature from January, that is around 84°F / 29°C.
- Can you expect in December a lot of sunny days in Sri Lanka
Generally, you can expect around 7 sunny days in December and around 15 partly sunny days. The remaining days will be cloudy.
When looking at the whole year, March is the month with the highest number of sunny days, with around 18 sunny days. July is the month with the lowest number of sunny days, with an average of between 2 and 3 sunny days. When comparing December with the number of sunny days in the month before and after, it is slightly higher than November, with around 4 sunny days. And slightly less than January, with around 11 sunny days
We have looked at the sunny days in Sri Lanka. Let's also look at the cloudy or overcast days. July is the month with the highest number of cloudy days, with around 16 cloudy days. March is the month with the lowest number of cloudy days, with an average of between 1 and 2 cloudy days. When comparing December with the number of cloudy days in the month before and after, it is slightly lower than November, with around 11 cloudy days. And slightly more than January, with around 4 cloudy days
- Will it be comfortable in December in Sri Lanka?
Generally, December in Sri Lanka will be extremely humid, and can feel extremely uncomfortable.
We use the humidity and temperature in Sri Lanka to calculate the Wintersun Expert Comfort level for each month. The lower the Wintersun Expert Comfort level, the more comfortable it will be. Only for certain people, extremely dry air can feel slightly uncomfortable.
When looking at the whole year, January has the lowest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "very uncomfortable" (very high humidity). April has the highest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "extremely uncomfortable" (extremely humid). When comparing December with the month before and after, this is almost equal to November, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "very uncomfortable" (very high humidity). And almost equal to January, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "very uncomfortable" (very high humidity)
What to do in Sri Lanka in December
- Gangaramaya Temple - this temple is also a museum and one of the most beautiful places to see in the capital city of Colombo. There is a selection of locally made crafts, art and even old cars on show.
- Sigiriya Fortress- also known as the lion rock, this fortress helps you gain some insight into Sri Lanka's mystic history. Once the fortress of king Kassapa stood tall on this monolith but now all that remains are the foundation walls.
- Tea plantations - the tea plantations adorn Sri Lanka's countryside and provide an interesting attraction for many visitors. Some plantations will let you join in and learn the art of tea picking.
- Yala national park - Sri Lanka is blessed with abundant wildlife and with its 35 feline residents, this park has the largest population of leopards in the world. There are also many other animals to be seen like crocodiles, monkeys and elephants.
- Temple of the sacred tooth relic - this sacred temple houses one of the most important Buddhist relics within its golden roofed walls. - one of Buddha's tooth
- Dagoba's - some of the most ancient and impressive Dagoba's are located in Sri Lanka. These impressive dome-shaped buildings stand out with their brilliant architecture.
Is it humid in Sri Lanka in December?
A lot of people ask interested in the humidity or relative humidity for Sri Lanka in December. But the real question they want to ask is not about humidity but the amount of moisture in the air. Or better, about comfort. Will it be comfortable in December in Sri Lanka, or will high humidity make it uncomfortable.To answer this question, we have to look at the dew point. Relative humidity can change a lot in Sri Lanka during the day and night, as it changes when the amount of moisture changes and, but also when the temperature changes. It is a lot less reliable for comfort. Where the dew point only varies with the amount of moisture in the air.
Looking at the dew point, we can see that for the month of December, you can expect that Sri Lanka will be extremely humid, and can feel extremely uncomfortable.
January is the month with the most comfort. It will have a very high humidity, and can feel very uncomfortable. April is the most uncomfortable month. It will be extremely humid, and can feel extremely uncomfortable. In the graph, you can see that there is not a lot of difference between the most comfortable and most uncomfortable months.
Is December a good time to go to Sri Lanka?
Trying to answer the question of whether December is a good time to go to Sri Lanka is not as easy as it first seems. Some people like colder weather, and others prefer a warmer climate. Some are fine with some humidity, and others are not. If your location has air conditioning, the night temperature is less important.
These are some examples. I will try to answer the question with a more generic person in mind. The more detailed information in this article should be enough to check further if this applies to you as well.
If we look at the average temperature for Sri Lanka in December, we can see that it will be fine for most people. In December, you can expect it to be really nice, with an average temperature of around 82°F / 28°C. But due to the extreme humidity it can feel extremely uncomfortable. During the night, it will be around 71°F / 22°C.
The number of overcast days is more than 5, but you can still the sun with around 7 sunny days and 15 partly sunny days.
The last aspect we will look at is rain. You can expect around 14 rainy days, with on average 3.6 inches / 91 mm of rain during December. More then 5 days rain per month makes the chance higher you will see some rain during a shorter stay. But a day with rain does not mean a day you can not enjoy.
We have looked at the average day temperature, the night temperature, humidity, the number of overcast days, and the rain. We think that December in Sri Lanka is not the most optimal destination. But that doesn't mean it is not a good time for you to go. As said before, each visitor has their own preferences when it comes to the weather.
Does it rain all day in Sri Lanka in December?
In Sri Lanka, it does not rain all day in December. You can expect around 14 rainy days, with on average 3.6 inches / 91 mm of rain during the month.
Another way of looking at the rain is the number of sunny days. For Sri Lanka, there are, on average 7 sunny days and 15 partly sunny days in December. That clearly shows that it is not raining all the time.
And, as for many tropical locations, rain can be short and heavy. This applies particularly during the rainy season. It means that the number of days with rain and the amount of rain can be high, but you will still see many lovely days with a short period of heavy rain.
Is December the rainiest month in Sri Lanka?
December is not the month with the most rainy days, and not the month with the most rain.
To answer what the rainiest month is in Sri Lanka, we will both look at the month with the most rain, and the month with the highest number of rainy days.
November is the month with the the highest number of rainiest days. On average, you can expect 20 days with rain. March is the month with the lowest number of rainy days, with aproximately 5 days.
November is the month with the most rain. This is not equal as the one with the most rainy days. On average, you can expect 6.3 inches / 159 mm of rain. March is the month with the least amount of rain. This is not the same month as the one with the lowest number of rainy days. You can expect approximately 0.7 inches / 19 mm of rain.
Is December the most sunniest month in Sri Lanka?
December is not the month with the most sunny days, not the month with the most partly sunny days, and it is not the month with the lowest number of overcast days.
To answer what the sunniest month is in Sri Lanka, we will of course look at the month with the most sunniest days, but also look at the month with the biggest number of days that are sunny or partly sunny.
March is the month with the highest number of sunny days. On average, you can expect 7 sunny days, and 15 partly suny days. July is the month with the lowest number of sunny days.
March is the month with the highest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined. While July is the month with the lowest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined.
The last thing we will look at is the number of overcast days. March is the month with the lowest number of overcast days. While July is the month with the highest number of overcast days.
More information about Sri Lanka
Weather in Sri Lanka in other months
- Weather in Sri Lanka for January
- Weather in Sri Lanka for February
- Weather in Sri Lanka for March
- Weather in Sri Lanka for April
- Weather in Sri Lanka for May
- Weather in Sri Lanka for June
- Weather in Sri Lanka for July
- Weather in Sri Lanka for August
- Weather in Sri Lanka for September
- Weather in Sri Lanka for October
- Weather in Sri Lanka for November
What to do in Sri Lanka for each month
- What to do in January in Sri Lanka
- What to do in February in Sri Lanka
- What to do in March in Sri Lanka
- What to do in April in Sri Lanka
- What to do in May in Sri Lanka
- What to do in June in Sri Lanka
- What to do in July in Sri Lanka
- What to do in August in Sri Lanka
- What to do in September in Sri Lanka
- What to do in October in Sri Lanka
- What to do in November in Sri Lanka
- What to do in December in Sri Lanka