Ampara weather in January

In January, Ampara sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 152 mm of rain across 18 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of January to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Ampara's 5th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ampara's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
12th warmest
Overnight low
23°
1st coldest
Rainfall
152 mm
18 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:24 AM – 6:01 PM
Cloud cover
72%
5th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
4.46 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.6
out of 10

Ampara is town in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical January day in Ampara reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 1°C cooler than February.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12823
22823
32823
42823
52823
62823
72823
82823
92823
102823
112823
122823
132823
142823
152823
162823
172823
182823
192823
202823
212823
222823
232823
242823
252823
262923
272923
282923
292923
302923
312923

How January really feels in Ampara

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

January sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Ampara weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 23°1521811.64.6
Feb29° / 23°8313.211.84.7
Mar31° / 24°5811.2124.3
Apr33° / 25°8115.812.23.1
May34° / 26°8115.312.32.5
Jun35° / 27°4710.512.42.3
Jul35° / 27°4910.912.42.3
Aug35° / 26°631412.22.3
Sep34° / 26°9616.7122.4
Oct32° / 25°19622.811.82.8
Nov29° / 24°2572511.73.3
Dec28° / 23°26122.811.64.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 68%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13169
23169
33169
43169
53169
63169
73169
83169
93070
103070
113169
123169
133268
143367
153367
163367
173367
183367
193367
203367
213367
223466
233466
243466
253466
263466
273466
283466
293565
303565
313664

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Ampara gets around 152 mm of rain over 18 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 59% and peaks near 67% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
166
266
367
467
567
666
766
866
965
1064
1163
1262
1361
1460
1559
1658
1756
1855
1954
2053
2152
2252
2351
2452
2552
2652
2753
2853
2953
3053
3153

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the oppressive band about 67% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 98% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1120745
2120745
3119755
4119764
5119764
6119764
7220744
8220753
9221743
10222733
11223723
12224713
13226702
14227692
15228682
16230662
17231643
18233623
19334603
20335593
21336583
22336583
23336583
24335593
25335593
26334603
27333613
28332623
29331633
30330643
31329653

Wind in January

Winds average 11 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of January to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:19 AM to 6:26 AM, and sunset from 5:54 PM to 6:07 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:195:54
211.66:195:54
311.66:205:55
411.66:205:55
511.66:215:56
611.66:215:56
711.66:215:57
811.66:225:57
911.66:225:58
1011.66:225:58
1111.66:235:59
1211.66:235:59
1311.66:236:00
1411.66:236:00
1511.66:246:01
1611.66:246:01
1711.66:246:02
1811.66:246:02
1911.66:256:02
2011.66:256:03
2111.66:256:03
2211.66:256:04
2311.66:256:04
2411.66:266:04
2511.76:266:05
2611.76:266:05
2711.76:266:06
2811.76:266:06
2911.76:266:06
3011.76:266:07
3111.76:266:07

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.46 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.99 kWh/m² to a high of 6.18 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 4.46 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.1Bright
24.1Bright
34.2Bright
44.2Bright
54.2Bright
64.2Bright
74.2Bright
84.2Bright
94.3Bright
104.3Bright
114.3Bright
124.3Bright
134.4Bright
144.4Bright
154.5Bright
164.5Bright
174.5Bright
184.5Bright
194.6Bright
204.6Bright
214.6Bright
224.6Bright
234.7Bright
244.7Bright
254.7Bright
264.7Bright
274.7Bright
284.7Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Ampara

In seasonPeak

In January, Ampara sits inside its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Ampara sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.

Ampara's monsoon runs October–January, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Ampara?

Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

4.6
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Ampara for sightseeing.

What to pack for Ampara in January

From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In January, Ampara sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 18 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Ampara in January

The nearest coast averages about 27°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 23 km away) is warmest in May at about 30°C and coldest in January near 27°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Ampara in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Ampara peaks around April 15 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 10 (extreme).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeApr 15UV 14Dec 22UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Ampara in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Ampara is worst in May — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 2125 µg/m³Dec 2118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan19Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr19Moderate
May25Moderate
Jun23Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug23Moderate
Sep22Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec18Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Ampara?

Ampara sits at 7.3°N, 81.7°E, 37 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Kalmunai, 21 km away.

BatticaloaPottuvilEravur TownBadullaEllaVakaraiPolonnaruwa

Topography around Ampara

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Ampara.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ampara has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 40 m around an average of 31 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 600 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,026 m.

The land around Ampara is covered by trees (55%) and cropland (20%) within 3 km, trees (46%) and cropland (40%) within 16 km, and trees (45%) and water (35%) within 80 km.

3 km
40 m
16 km
600 m
80 km
2,026 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Kalmunai 21 km · Batticaloa 46 km · Pottuvil 49 km · Eravur Town 54 km · Badulla 77 km · Ella 84 km · Vakarai 97 km · Polonnaruwa 103 km

Sri Lanka travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 27% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,002
2025
Happiness
4.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
47%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
3.3
per 100k, 2019
Road deaths
19.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 486
Religion
Buddhist 70%Hindu 13%Muslim 10%Roman Catholic 6%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Ampara (7.2975°, 81.682°, elevation 37 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).