Sri Lanka weather & when to go: December
Sri Lanka December weather overview
Along the western and southern coasts the rainfall continues to decline as south-west monsoon fast becomes a distant memory. As the recent unsettled weather fades away, plenty of sunshine and dry days are expected as peak beach conditions return. Up in the hills the rainfall also drops slightly, although it’s still wet and evenings continue to be chilly.
Further north in the Cultural Triangle, rainfall is still high, although the peak figures of the previous month should have dropped considerably, especially by the end of the month. In the north and along the east coast, rainfall continues to be high.
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December’s weather in detail
Along Sri Lanka's western and southern coasts the rainfall continues to decline as the south-west monsoon fast becomes a distant memory. As the recent unsettled weather fades away, plenty of sunshine and dry days can be expected as peak beach conditions return (avg temp: 30°C). The west and south coasts are your best bets for beach time if you're looking for a Christmas holiday in Sri Lanka.
Up in the hills the rainfall also drops slightly, although it’s still wet and evenings continue to be chilly. December marks the beginning of the Adam's Peak pilgrimage season, which runs throughout the dry season until May.
In the Cultural Triangle, rainfall is still high, although the peak figures of the previous month should have dropped considerably, especially by the end of the month (avg temp: 27 °C). In the north and along the island's east coast, rainfall continues to be high as the north-east monsoon blows.
The best of Sri Lanka’s beaches in December:
The south-west (the section south of Negombo & Colombo) and the entire south coast: Peak season.
The entire east coast: Monsoon season.
The central and northern section of the west coast (from Negombo northwards): Monsoon season.