AI-generatedPolonnaruwa at a glance
- Best time
- Jan – Feb, Jun
- Warmest month
- May · 36°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,240 h
- Rain a year
- 1,207 mm
- Climate
- Tropical
- Time zone
- UTC+5:30
- Elevation
- 60 m
Climate in Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa has a tropical climate: it is warm all year round, and the seasons differ mainly in how much rain falls. May is the warmest month with average highs of 36 °C, while December is the coolest at 30 °C. With around 2,240 hours of sunshine a year, Polonnaruwa is sunny; April is the sunniest month with 7.5 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Best time to visit Polonnaruwa
The best time to visit Polonnaruwa is from January to February and in June. From March to October it can get very hot, with highs of up to 36 °C. The rainy season is from October to December; the wettest month is November with 266 mm.
Polonnaruwa through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Polonnaruwa in the dry season
Jan – Sep
Poor
- 30–36 °C by day
- 6.6 h of sun a day
- 83 rainy days in all
Polonnaruwa in the rainy season
Oct – Dec
Poor
- 30–34 °C by day
- 4.7 h of sun a day
- 60 rainy days in all
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
No month
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Peak heat
Mar – Oct
Highs of 33 °C or more
Rainy months
Oct – Dec
Rainy season or more than 12 rainy days
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Polonnaruwa for you.
Your best months: June – August
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Weather in October
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: January – February, June
Keep in mindPeak heatFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 28°
- Midday, 13:00: about 33°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 33°
- Evening, 20:00: about 28°
- Night, 23:00: about 27°
05:5317:50
Warm enough for a T-shirt in the evening.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 05:40–06:21 · evening 17:22–18:03
- Blue hour
- Morning 05:32–05:40 · evening 18:03–18:11
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
October in Polonnaruwa compared with home
Loading the climate at home …
Early or late October?
In October, daytime highs fall from about 34° at the start of the month to 32° at the end. The days get 0.2 h shorter.
| October | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 34° | 32° |
| Night-time low | 25° | 23° |
| Daylight | 12.1 h | 11.9 h |
What is the weather like in Polonnaruwa in October?
In October, Polonnaruwa is very hot: daytime highs average 34 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. Expect around 5.7 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 17 days, totalling 182 mm. On about 30 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 58 min05:53 – 17:50
- UV index
- 12 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 31 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 16 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 76 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 30 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+5:30offset from UTC
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %6 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %45 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %5 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Nature escape”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Water bottle – drink plenty
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Compare two months in Polonnaruwa
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
February has the better holiday weather in Polonnaruwa: score 46 against 13. In February, days are 3 °C cooler than in October. February has 6 fewer rainy days.
| Month | October | February |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 13 | 46better |
| Daytime high | 34° | 31° |
| Night-time low | 24° | 22° |
| Sunshine | 5.7 h | 6.1 h |
| Rainy days | 17 | 11better |
| Rainfall | 182 mm | 69 mmbetter |
| Muggy days | 31 | 28better |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Polonnaruwa month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
43January30° · 4.9 h
In January, Polonnaruwa is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. Expect around 4.9 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 122 mm. On about 13 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, January is a so-so month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa – and yet one of the best months here.
Polonnaruwa in January46February31° · 6.1 h
In February, Polonnaruwa is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. Expect around 6.1 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 69 mm in total. On about 22 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, February is a so-so month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa – and yet one of the best months here.
Polonnaruwa in February35March34° · 7.2 h
In March, Polonnaruwa is very hot: daytime highs average 34 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 23 °C. The sun shines for around 7.2 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 53 mm in total. On about 30 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa in March23April35° · 7.5 h
In April, Polonnaruwa is very hot: daytime highs average 35 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. The sun shines for around 7.5 hours a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 97 mm. The thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more every day. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa in April32May36° · 7.3 h
In May, Polonnaruwa is very hot: daytime highs average 36 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sun shines for around 7.3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 77 mm in total. The thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more every day. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa in May42June35° · 6.8 h
In June, Polonnaruwa is very hot: daytime highs average 35 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sun shines for around 6.8 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 4 days bring 18 mm in total. The thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more every day. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, June is a so-so month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa – and yet one of the best months here.
Polonnaruwa in June39July35° · 6.6 h
In July, Polonnaruwa is very hot: daytime highs average 35 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sun shines for around 6.6 hours a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 29 mm. The thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more every day. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa in July38August36° · 6.6 h
In August, Polonnaruwa is very hot: daytime highs average 36 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sun shines for around 6.6 hours a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 34 mm. The thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more every day. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa in August33September35° · 6.5 h
In September, Polonnaruwa is very hot: daytime highs average 35 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sun shines for around 6.5 hours a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 51 mm. The thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more every day. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa in September13October34° · 5.7 h
In October, Polonnaruwa is very hot: daytime highs average 34 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. Expect around 5.7 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 17 days, totalling 182 mm. On about 30 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa in October25November31° · 4.2 h
In November, Polonnaruwa is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 23 °C. Expect around 4.2 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 23 days, totalling 266 mm. On about 23 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa in November35December30° · 4.1 h
In December, Polonnaruwa is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. Expect around 4.1 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 20 days, totalling 212 mm. On about 13 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa in DecemberClimate in detail
Year & climate table
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Polonnaruwa
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Warm 20–24°
- Hot 24° and more
- muggy month (15+ muggy days)
HotOctober: nights around 24°. Hot nights: air conditioning makes sleeping much easier. Muggy on about 31 days (dew point 18 °C or more).
The coolest nights are in January (22°), the warmest in June (26°). Nights stay tropical all year (20 °C and more), so a room with air conditioning or at least a fan pays off. It is muggy (dew point 18 °C or more) all year, on about 363 days a year.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 43 | 30° | 22° | 4.9 h | 15 | 122 |
| FebruaryFeb | 46 | 31° | 22° | 6.1 h | 11 | 69 |
| MarchMar | 35 | 34° | 23° | 7.2 h | 10 | 53 |
| AprilApr | 23 | 35° | 24° | 7.5 h | 14 | 97 |
| MayMay | 32 | 36° | 26° | 7.3 h | 10 | 77 |
| JuneJun | 42 | 35° | 26° | 6.8 h | 4 | 18 |
| JulyJul | 39 | 35° | 26° | 6.6 h | 6 | 29 |
| AugustAug | 38 | 36° | 26° | 6.6 h | 6 | 34 |
| SeptemberSep | 33 | 35° | 25° | 6.5 h | 8 | 51 |
| OctoberOct | 13 | 34° | 24° | 5.7 h | 17 | 182 |
| NovemberNov | 25 | 31° | 23° | 4.2 h | 23 | 266 |
| DecemberDec | 35 | 30° | 22° | 4.1 h | 20 | 212 |
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
7.94° N, 81.00° E · 60 m · Asia/Colombo
Sunshine
Sunshine hours in Polonnaruwa
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 5.7 of 12.0 hours of daylight in Polonnaruwa, 48 % of the daylight hours.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain
Rain in Polonnaruwa: 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, Polonnaruwa has about 17 rainy days with 182 mm of rain in total.
UV index
UV index in Polonnaruwa
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 12 · extremeAvoid the midday sun; SPF 50+, covering clothes, hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in April (UV 14).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 10 min
- Fair skin
- about 15 min
- Light brown skin
- about 20 min
- Olive skin
- about 25 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen the time, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Wind & clouds
Wind and clouds in Polonnaruwa
How breezy and how cloudy Polonnaruwa is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Polonnaruwa typically peaks at 16 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, gentle breeze.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 76 % of the sky over Polonnaruwa: mostly cloudy, with about 5.7 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Heat & humidity
Heat and humidity in Polonnaruwa
How often the day gets hot in Polonnaruwa (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.
Heat calendar
- pleasant
- some hot or muggy days
- often muggy
- often hot
- hot and muggy
In October, Polonnaruwa has about 30 hot days, with an average daytime high of 34 °C: hot and muggy. Plan outdoor activities for the morning and evening, drink a lot and take breaks in the cool.
Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year
Planning a trip to Polonnaruwa
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Polonnaruwa in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Polonnaruwa has its best school-holiday weather during the Christmas holidays (score 39) and its weakest during October half-term (score 13).
- 27
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 35 °C by day
- 7.4 h of sun a day
- 13 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat
- 34
May half-term
May – Jun
Poor
- 35 °C by day
- 7.2 h of sun a day
- 9 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat
- 38
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 35 °C by day
- 6.6 h of sun a day
- 6 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat
- 13
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 34 °C by day
- 5.7 h of sun a day
- 17 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat, Frequent rain
- 39
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
PoorBest holidays
- 30 °C by day
- 4.5 h of sun a day
- 18 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 11 h
- Distance
- 8,730 km
- Time zone
- UTC+5:30
- Jet lag
- About 5 days (5 h east)
Rule of thumb for flying east: for a few days before, go to bed and get up a little earlier, and get plenty of morning light at your destination.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Good to know: Sri Lanka
- Currency
- Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
- Languages
- Sinhala, Tamil
- Sockets
- Type D, G, M · 230 V
- Traffic
- Drives on the left
- Dialling code
- +94
UK plugs fit
Sources: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0). Please check details before you travel.
Compare & alternatives
Compare with another place
Polonnaruwa compared
Put Polonnaruwa side by side with another destination.
Polonnaruwa vs Sigiriya
In October Sigiriya has the better holiday weather (score 22 vs 13). During the day Sigiriya is 2 °C cooler than Polonnaruwa. Sigiriya gets one hour less sunshine a day.
| in October | Polonnaruwa | Sigiriya |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 13 | 22 |
| Daytime high | 34° | 32° |
| Sunshine | 6 h | 5 h |
| Rainy days | 17 | 24 |
| Best time | Jan – Feb, Jun | Jan – Feb |
Through the year
Best places in the country
Sri Lanka in October: the best places
In October, Polonnaruwa ranks 22 of 22 destinations in this country.
- Hambantota31°28°69
- 2Matara30°28°69
- 3Galle30°28°69
- 4Mirissa30°28°69
- 5Batticaloa32°29°66
- 6Negombo31°28°66
- 7Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte31°28°65
- 8Kalutara30°28°65
- 22PolonnaruwaThis page34°13
Places nearby
Near Polonnaruwa
Other destinations close by.
Places with a similar climate
Places with a climate like Polonnaruwa
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Polonnaruwa's – good alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about Polonnaruwa
When is the best time to visit Polonnaruwa?
The best time to visit Polonnaruwa is from January to February and in June. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Polonnaruwa?
May is the warmest month, with average highs of 36 °C and nights around 26 °C. December is the coolest month at 30 °C.
When does it rain most in Polonnaruwa?
The rainy season is from October to December; the wettest month is November with 266 mm. The driest month is June with 18 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Polonnaruwa get?
Polonnaruwa gets around 2,240 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is April with 7.5 hours a day; in December there are 4.1 hours a day.
What time zone is Polonnaruwa in?
Polonnaruwa is on UTC+5:30 all year.
How long is the flight from London to Polonnaruwa?
A nonstop flight from London to Polonnaruwa takes about 11 h, for a straight-line distance of about 8,730 km.
Which school holidays are best for Polonnaruwa?
Polonnaruwa has its best school-holiday weather during the Christmas holidays (score 39) and its weakest during October half-term (score 13). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 27, May half-term 34, summer holidays 38, October half-term 13, Christmas holidays 39.