Bentota in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Bentota sees average daytime highs around 29°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 327 mm of rain over about 40 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Bentota's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Bentota has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Bentota's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 29°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 327 mm
- 40 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.1
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Bentota in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 29°C.
A typical winter day in Bentota reaches about 29°C and drops to 24°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Bentota
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 23 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Bentota weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29° / 24° | 79 | 11.1 | 11.7 | 5.5 |
| Feb | 29° / 24° | 64 | 9.9 | 11.8 | 5.4 |
| Mar | 30° / 25° | 79 | 14.3 | 12 | 4.7 |
| Apr | 30° / 26° | 187 | 24.7 | 12.1 | 3.4 |
| May | 29° / 26° | 334 | 29.7 | 12.3 | 3.0 |
| Jun | 28° / 26° | 331 | 28.8 | 12.4 | 3.1 |
| Jul | 28° / 25° | 294 | 28.9 | 12.3 | 3.4 |
| Aug | 28° / 25° | 267 | 28.8 | 12.2 | 3.5 |
| Sep | 28° / 25° | 292 | 27.7 | 12 | 3.6 |
| Oct | 28° / 25° | 350 | 27.7 | 11.9 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 28° / 25° | 336 | 24 | 11.7 | 3.8 |
| Dec | 28° / 24° | 184 | 19.1 | 11.6 | 4.5 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Bentota gets around 327 mm of rain over 40 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 8 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min in early December to 11 h 54 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 5.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Bentota
In winter, Bentota overlaps its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Bentota sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.
Is winter a good time to visit Bentota?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Bentota for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Bentota in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Bentota sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 40 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Bentota in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 28°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 15 km away) is warmest in April at about 30°C and coldest in August near 28°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Warm |
| Feb | 28 | Tropical |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 30 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 28 | Tropical |
| Jul | 28 | Warm |
| Aug | 28 | Warm |
| Sep | 28 | Warm |
| Oct | 28 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 28 | Tropical |
UV index in Bentota in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bentota peaks around April 17 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 10 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Very high |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Very high |
Air quality in Bentota in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Bentota is worst in January — around 84 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.8× the cleanest month (July, 29 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 84 | 78 | 73 | 62 | 44 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 35 | 52 | 74 | 81 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 78 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 73 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 62 | Unhealthy |
| May | 44 | Poor |
| Jun | 31 | Moderate |
| Jul | 29 | Moderate |
| Aug | 30 | Moderate |
| Sep | 35 | Poor |
| Oct | 52 | Poor |
| Nov | 74 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 81 | Unhealthy |
Where is Bentota?
Bentota sits at 6.4°N, 80.0°E, 8 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Beruwala, 6.0 km away.
Topography around Bentota
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Bentota.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Bentota has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 28 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 205 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,145 m.
The land around Bentota is covered by water (52%) and trees (40%) within 3 km, water (52%) and trees (44%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and water (39%) within 80 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
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 Bentota (6.426°, 79.9958°, elevation 8 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.