Major FAQ-Sri Lanka
Climate of Sri Lanka
Take advantage of the Web which can bring you current weather and forecasts for your destination:
Yahoo Weather: http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/NPXX0002.html (www.weather.yahoo.com)
The Weather Channel: www.weather.com
World weather information: http://www.worldweather.org/084/c00340.htm
Lying in the equatorial and tropical zone, Sri Lanka is influenced by the monsoons, allowing two distinct seasons: wet and dry. The difference of elevation also influences temperature variation; it is always hot in the lowland and it gets cooler when reaching the higher altitudes. The annually average temperature of the country as a whole varies from 26°C-28°C and dips down to 14°C-16°C in the Central Highlands. November to January is the coolest time of the year whereas February through May is the hottest period.
There are two monsoonal seasons in Sri Lanka , making its climate more complex and varied in different regions. In mid-May through October, the Southwest monsoon, called in Lankan language as " Yala season ", brings moisture from the Indian Ocean, resulting in the heavy rains in the south and west coasts as well as in the Central Highlands . Some windward slopes receive up to 250 centimeters of rain per month. In this period, the northern and eastern parts of the island are left drier with a little quantity of rainfall as lying in the leeside. When it comes to the Northeast monsoon (" Maha season " in Lankan) which lasts from December to March, the moisture brought from the Bay of Bengal causes downpours in the Northeast region of the island. The northeastern slopes of the mountains may be inundated with up to 125 centimeters of rains during these months.
Source: Sri Lanka Travel Guide
Climate in Galle
Month |
Mean Temperature o F |
Mean Total Rainfall (mm) |
Mean Number of Rain Days |
Daily
Minimum |
Daily
Maximum |
Jan |
73.0 |
84.2 |
85.1 |
8 |
Feb |
73.4 |
84.2 |
70.5 |
6 |
Mar |
75.0 |
85.8 |
111.3 |
9 |
Apr |
76.6 |
87.1 |
206.8 |
12 |
May |
77.9 |
87.1 |
290.4 |
16 |
Jun |
77.4 |
85.6 |
188.2 |
17 |
Jul |
76.6 |
84.2 |
163.2 |
16 |
Aug |
76.5 |
83.5 |
185.9 |
16 |
Sep |
76.5 |
83.1 |
255.8 |
18 |
Oct |
75.4 |
83.3 |
322.7 |
18 |
Nov |
74.3 |
83.7 |
321.0 |
16 |
Dec |
73.6 |
84.4 |
176.9 |
12 |
Materials to Bring:
Most of stuffs of daily use are available in Sri Lanka at a cheaper price. However, we suggest volunteers pack the following things.
• Camera
• Mobile phone (you can use mobile phone after changing sim card)
• Sleeping bag
• Mosquito repellents
• Insect repellents
• Sun-block
• Working gloves (if you are joining conservation or construction project)
• Some books about Sri Lanka
• Map of Sri Lanka
• Toiletries
• First aid kit
• Flash light
• Electricity adopter/converter
• Sun glasses
• Footwear (for work and travel)
• Towel
What gift should I bring for my project?
It is a common courtesy to bring a small gift for the family that will be hosting you. You are not required to do so, but if you choose to bring something it can be pretty simple. We suggest a box of chocolates, a t-shirt with a hometown logo, or pictures of your family and some local post cards.
If you want to bring gifts for your project (and if you are working for an orphanage or a school please bring pencils, pens and paper, art supplies like markers and construction paper pads, and games. R em em ber that every child will need these it em s so you may wish to bring a bunch of one thing.
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