Visiting Sri Lanka in October
Weather and climate
Sri Lanka in September
It’s one of the wettest months across the country, with the possibility of cyclones bringing high wind and rain across Sri Lanka in October. This month sees the return of the northeast or Maha monsoon, making it humid and rainy in the north, the east coast, and around the ancient cities of the Cultural Triangle, including Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla.
There are also rainy conditions in the Tea Country so it’s a bad time for trekking, with high rainfall in Colombo too, and showers in the south and west as the south-west monsoon slowly comes to an end.
The weather improves throughout the month around the beaches on the south and west coasts, but it may still not be safe to swim. All in all, if you’re hoping for a beach break, October definitely should not top the list of when to go to Sri Lanka.
Yala National Park may remain closed throughout month, depending on the drought conditions from earlier in the year, and it’s rainy at Wilpattu and Udawalawe National Parks too.
Festivals: The Hindu festival of lights, Deepavali (or Diwali) often takes place in October, with families gathering together to celebrate.
Best for: Fewer crowds
Monthly Sri Lanka climate chart
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North / East | ● 28°C 🌤️ |
● 29°C 🌤️ |
● 31°C 🌤️ |
● 33°C ☀️ |
● 35°C ☀️ |
● 35°C ☀️ |
● 35°C ☀️ |
● 34°C ☀️ |
● 34°C ☀️ |
● 32°C 🌦️ |
● 29°C 🌦️ |
● 28°C 🌦️ |
| Central | ● 19°C ☀️ |
● 21°C ☀️ |
● 22°C 🌤️ |
● 22°C 🌦️ |
● 21°C 🌦️ |
● 19°C 🌤️ |
● 19°C 🌤️ |
● 19°C 🌤️ |
● 20°C 🌤️ |
● 20°C 🌧️ |
● 20°C 🌧️ |
● 20°C 🌦️ |
| South / West | ● 30°C ☀️ |
● 30°C ☀️ |
● 31°C ☀️ |
● 31°C ☀️ |
● 30°C 🌧️ |
● 29°C 🌧️ |
● 29°C 🌧️ |
● 29°C 🌧️ |
● 29°C 🌧️ |
● 29°C 🌧️ |
● 29°C 🌧️ |
● 29°C 🌤️ |
A few of our favourite Sri Lanka holidays
