Weather on Sri Lanka’s West Coast

The West Coast of Sri Lanka was one of its first holiday destinations, its package trade dating back to the 1970s as the classic tropical combination of broad sandy beaches and hot temperatures drew travellers from around the globe. The West Coast has its share of rain, but it often falls in heavy but brief storms which leaves plenty of time for sunshine even on the wettest days. The West Coast is most affected by the south-west monsoon so the best weather can be exected between mid-November and mid-Aril. and May and June, when storms are also common and humidity high, are normally best avoided. But from July to November, even though rainfall is common, it just clears the topical air and enhances the beauty of an exotic landscape and when the sunshine comes, it comes with attractive rates in the hotels and villas that stud the coastline. Temperatures are at their highest in May and fall a few degrees thereafter to 28C in October. As the monsoon winds from the north-east begin to dominate in November, the west coast begins to ease into six months of more settled weather. Skies are clearer, sunshine hours increase and humidity levels ease. When the rainfall comes again in April, the hottest month, it falls mainly at night. Annual rainfall is 280cms, slightly higher than the capital. Colombo. October is the wettest month, February the driest.

Sri Lanka is affected by two separate monsoons. Essentially the main south-west (“yala”) monsoon brings rain to the west coast, as well as south-west coasts and hill country, between May and late July. August is often a good month, despite bursts of rain. The west coast is not affected by the less severe north-east (“maha”) monsoon which hits the east from November to January. There is also an unsettled inter-monsoonal period in October.

Note: Based on Bentota