Visiting Sri Lanka in September

Sri Lanka weather guide by month

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December

 

You’ll find much more mixed weather across Sri Lanka this month: the south-west monsoon is coming to an end with a rainy time on the south and west coast, as well as showers starting to increase on the east coast at the end of the month, plus more rain in the Tea Country. There’s also a possibility of cyclones across the country towards the end of September as well, bringing heavy rain and high winds.

Yala National Park usually closes this month to allow animals to roam freely in search of water, although conditions are good at Wilpattu National Park if you’re hoping to see some of Sri Lanka’s wildlife in September. It’s also the last month to see the ‘Gathering’ of elephants at Minneriya.

The east coast is still the best option for beach time, especially around Trincomalee and at Pasikudah, although the north-west coast from Negombo has increasingly good weather – expect high wind and rough seas along with the sun though. It’s still dry around the Cultural Triangle this month too.

Festivals: In Jaffna, the Nallur Festival is often still taking place in September (usually beginning in August). Lasting for 25 days, it’s a more peaceful occasion than some more celebratory festivals, with pilgrims travelling across the country to the Kandaswamy Temple.

Best for: East coast beaches, wildlife at Wilpattu National Park, elephants at Minneriya

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 🌤️