Tissa and Kataragama, positioned in the far south east, are in one of the driest parts of Sri Lanka. Rain falls in May as an effect of the south-west monsoon, but the north-east monsoon is even more urgently anticipated in this lightly-populated area with the heavy rains of October and November always welcomed. Outside the period of the north-east monsoon, travellers are likely to see lots of sunshine. Even the coldest month, December, has an average maximum temperature of 29C. As with many parts of Sri Lanka, escaping the European winter to enjoy a tropical climate at its best is an attractive option, but July and August also have great appeal from a climate perspective with the weather more settled than on the south and west coasts.
Sri Lanka is affected by two monsoons which generally means that there is good weather somewhere. October to mid-December can see heavy rain brought in by the north-east monsoon, with the south-west monsoon bringing heaviest downpours from mid-April to mid-June. There is also an unsettled inter-monsoonal period in October.
Best month to visit Tissa and Kataragama: July
| Average high °C | Average low °C | Average rain / m mm | Average rain days / m | Average sun hours / month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | 23 | 70 | 9 | 9 |
| Feb | 30 | 24 | 50 | 10 | 10 |
| Mar | 31 | 24 | 70 | 10 | 10 |
| Apr | 31 | 25 | 120 | 9 | 9 |
| May | 31 | 26 | 115 | 9 | 9 |
| June | 31 | 26 | 75 | 9 | 9 |
| July | 31 | 26 | 55 | 9 | 9 |
| Aug | 31 | 25 | 65 | 9 | 9 |
| Sept | 31 | 25 | 95 | 9 | 9 |
| Oct | 30 | 25 | 155 | 9 | 9 |
| Nov | 29 | 24 | 240 | 9 | 9 |
| Dec | 28 | 24 | 155 | 9 | 9 |
| Year | 30 | 25 | 105 | 9 | 9 |
Note: Based on Hambantota
