Colombo at a glance
- Best time
- Jan – Feb
- Warmest month
- Feb · 32°
- Warmest sea
- Apr · 29.9°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,350 h
- Rain a year
- 2,623 mm
- Climate
- Tropical
- Time zone
- UTC+5:30
- Elevation
- 7 m
Climate in Colombo
Colombo has a tropical climate: it is warm all year round, and the seasons differ mainly in how much rain falls. February is the warmest month with average highs of 32 °C, while August is the coolest at 29 °C. With around 2,350 hours of sunshine a year, Colombo is sunny; February is the sunniest month with 8.5 hours a day.
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Fair
Best time to visit: January – February
What is the weather like in Colombo in October?
In October, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. The sea averages 28.3 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 28 days, totalling 375 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 59 min05:57 – 17:56
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 31 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 14 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 84 %on average
- Hot days
- 2 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+5:30Asia/Colombo
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %77 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %37 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Colombo
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 27.8 – 28.9 °C
Swimming season: All year
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Colombo ranges from 27.6 °C in August to 29.9 °C in April. At 20 °C and more, the sea is warm enough for swimming all year round.
The sea warms up slowly: it is warmest in April, while the air already peaks in February. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in April, eight out of ten years were between 29.2 and 30.5 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 27.9° | 27.3° | 28.6° | warm |
| FebruaryFeb | 28.3° | 27.7° | 28.9° | warm |
| MarchMar | 29.2° | 28.6° | 29.7° | very warm |
| AprilApr | 29.9° | 29.2° | 30.5° | very warm |
| MayMay | 29.4° | 28.8° | 29.9° | very warm |
| JuneJun | 28.5° | 27.8° | 29.2° | warm |
| JulyJul | 27.8° | 26.9° | 28.4° | warm |
| AugustAug | 27.6° | 26.8° | 28.2° | warm |
| SeptemberSep | 27.9° | 27.5° | 28.4° | warm |
| OctoberOct | 28.3° | 27.8° | 28.9° | warm |
| NovemberNov | 28.7° | 28.1° | 29.1° | warm |
| DecemberDec | 28.3° | 27.9° | 28.9° | warm |
Sunshine hours in Colombo
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 5.2 of 12.0 hours of daylight in Colombo, 43 % of the day.
Sunshine hours count the time with bright, direct sunshine (WMO definition, estimated from model data); daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain in Colombo: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Colombo has about 28 rainy days with 375 mm of rain in total.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 64 | 30° | 23° | 27.9° | 7.9 h | 9 | 77 |
| FebruaryFeb | 60 | 32° | 24° | 28.3° | 8.5 h | 9 | 67 |
| MarchMar | 44 | 32° | 25° | 29.2° | 8.3 h | 16 | 101 |
| AprilApr | 40 | 31° | 25° | 29.9° | 7.0 h | 26 | 193 |
| MayMay | 43 | 30° | 25° | 29.4° | 5.8 h | 29 | 283 |
| JuneJun | 47 | 29° | 25° | 28.5° | 5.6 h | 29 | 273 |
| JulyJul | 50 | 29° | 25° | 27.8° | 5.9 h | 29 | 232 |
| AugustAug | 51 | 29° | 25° | 27.6° | 6.1 h | 29 | 219 |
| SeptemberSep | 49 | 29° | 25° | 27.9° | 5.6 h | 28 | 257 |
| OctoberOct | 46 | 29° | 24° | 28.3° | 5.2 h | 28 | 375 |
| NovemberNov | 45 | 29° | 24° | 28.7° | 5.1 h | 24 | 363 |
| DecemberDec | 49 | 29° | 23° | 28.3° | 6.2 h | 17 | 183 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)
6.94° N, 79.85° E · 7 m · Asia/Colombo
Best time to visit Colombo
The best time to visit Colombo is from January to February. For a beach holiday with the sea above 21 °C, go from January to February. Rain is most frequent from March to December; the wettest month is October with 375 mm.
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Colombo for you.
Your best months: January, July – August
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
Jan – Feb
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
No month
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Mar – Dec
12 or more rainy days
Colombo month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
64January30° · Sea 28° · 8 h
In January, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 23 °C. The sea averages 27.9 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 77 mm in total. On about 18 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, January is a good month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in January60February32° · Sea 28° · 9 h
In February, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 32 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. The sea averages 28.3 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 67 mm. On about 23 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, February is a good month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in February44March32° · Sea 29° · 8 h
In March, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 32 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 29.2 °C – almost as warm as a bath. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 16 days, totalling 101 mm. On about 28 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, March is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in March40April31° · Sea 30° · 7 h
In April, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 29.9 °C – almost as warm as a bath. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 26 days, totalling 193 mm. On about 23 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in April43May30° · Sea 29° · 6 h
In May, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 29.4 °C – almost as warm as a bath. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 29 days, totalling 283 mm. On about 11 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in May47June29° · Sea 29° · 6 h
In June, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 28.5 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 29 days, totalling 273 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, June is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in June50July29° · Sea 28° · 6 h
In July, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 27.8 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 29 days, totalling 232 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, July is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in July51August29° · Sea 28° · 6 h
In August, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 27.6 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 29 days, totalling 219 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, August is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in August49September29° · Sea 28° · 6 h
In September, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 27.9 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 28 days, totalling 257 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, September is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in September46October29° · Sea 28° · 5 h
In October, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. The sea averages 28.3 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 28 days, totalling 375 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in October45November29° · Sea 29° · 5 h
In November, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. The sea averages 28.7 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 24 days, totalling 363 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, November is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in November49December29° · Sea 28° · 6 h
In December, Colombo is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 23 °C. The sea averages 28.3 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 17 days, totalling 183 mm. On about 8 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, December is a so-so month for a holiday in Colombo.
Colombo in DecemberPlanning a trip to Colombo
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 11 h
- Distance
- 8,730 km
- Time zone
- UTC+5:30
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Colombo
When is the best time to visit Colombo?
The best time to visit Colombo is from January to February. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Colombo?
The sea temperature in Colombo ranges from 27.6 °C in August to 29.9 °C in April. At 20 °C and more, the sea is warm enough for swimming all year round.
Can you swim in Colombo in October?
Yes. In October the sea averages 28.3 °C – lovely and warm for swimming.
What is the warmest month in Colombo?
February is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C and nights around 24 °C. August is the coolest month at 29 °C.
When does it rain most in Colombo?
Rain is most frequent from March to December; the wettest month is October with 375 mm. The driest month is February with 67 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Colombo get?
Colombo gets around 2,350 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is February with 8.5 hours a day; in November there are 5.1 hours a day.
What time zone is Colombo in?
Colombo uses the time zone Asia/Colombo, at UTC+5:30 all year.
How long is the flight from London to Colombo?
A nonstop flight from London to Colombo takes about 11 h, for a straight-line distance of about 8,730 km.
Near Colombo
Other destinations close by.