Chilaw weather in January

In January, Chilaw sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 37 mm of rain across 6.1 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% 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 Chilaw's 3rd-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chilaw's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
4th warmest
Overnight low
24°
1st coldest
Rainfall
37 mm
6.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:32 AM – 6:08 PM
Cloud cover
56%
3rd clearest
Wind
19 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.58 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.7
out of 10

Chilaw is large town in Puttalam district, 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 30°C through the month.

A typical January day in Chilaw reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 1°C cooler than February.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12924
22924
32924
42924
52924
62924
72924
82924
92924
102924
112924
122924
132924
142924
152924
162924
173024
183024
193024
203024
213024
223024
233024
243024
253024
263024
273024
283024
293024
303024
313024

How January really feels in Chilaw

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 30 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
30
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in January is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Chilaw weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 24°376.111.65.7
Feb31° / 25°33611.85.2
Mar31° / 26°6913.711.94.4
Apr30° / 26°15224.912.23.2
May30° / 27°22128.112.33.0
Jun29° / 27°18525.812.43.4
Jul28° / 26°13322.112.44.0
Aug28° / 26°12921.912.24.1
Sep28° / 26°18024.4123.7
Oct29° / 26°29826.111.83.5
Nov29° / 25°26122.211.73.8
Dec29° / 25°13113.511.65.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 47%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25149
35149
45248
55248
65347
75347
85446
95446
105446
115446
125446
135446
145446
155446
165347
175347
185347
195347
205248
215248
225248
235248
245248
255347
265248
275248
285248
295347
305347
315545

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Chilaw gets around 37 mm of rain over 6.1 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 21% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
227
326
426
526
625
725
824
924
1024
1123
1223
1322
1421
1521
1620
1719
1818
1918
2017
2117
2216
2316
2416
2516
2616
2717
2817
2918
3018
3119

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 63% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 98% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1224713
2224713
3224713
4224713
5225703
6225712
7225712
8226702
9226702
10227692
11228691
12229681
13230671
14231661
15233641
16234631
17235621
18237601
19338581
20339571
21340561
22341551
23341551
24342541
25342541
26341551
27341551
28340561
29339571
30338581
31338581

Wind in January

Winds average 19 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 18 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

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 6:27 AM to 6:34 AM, and sunset from 6:01 PM to 6:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:276:01
211.66:276:01
311.66:286:02
411.66:286:02
511.66:296:03
611.66:296:03
711.66:296:04
811.66:306:04
911.66:306:05
1011.66:306:05
1111.66:316:06
1211.66:316:06
1311.66:316:07
1411.66:316:07
1511.66:326:08
1611.66:326:08
1711.66:326:09
1811.66:326:09
1911.66:336:10
2011.66:336:10
2111.66:336:10
2211.66:336:11
2311.66:336:11
2411.66:346:12
2511.66:346:12
2611.66:346:12
2711.66:346:13
2811.76:346:13
2911.76:346:14
3011.76:346:14
3111.76:346:14

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.58 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.7 kWh/m² to a high of 6.51 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 5.58 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Chilaw

In seasonPeak

None of Chilaw's seasonal hazards are active in January. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

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

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

Is January a good time to visit Chilaw?

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

5.7
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
7.5
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Chilaw for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Chilaw in January

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

In January, Chilaw sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Chilaw in January

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 20 km away) is warmest in April at about 30°C and coldest in August 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
Jan28Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun28Tropical
Jul27Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep28Warm
Oct28Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Chilaw 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 Chilaw peaks around April 18 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highApr 18UV 13Dec 19UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Chilaw 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 Chilaw is worst in March — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.8× the cleanest month (August, 17 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMar 2030 µg/m³Aug 2417 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan23Moderate
Feb23Moderate
Mar30Moderate
Apr28Moderate
May24Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct19Moderate
Nov24Moderate
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Chilaw?

Chilaw sits at 7.6°N, 79.8°E, 8 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Negombo, 41 km away.

NegomboKatunayakaPuttalamJa ElaKandanaWelisaraKurunegalaHendala

Topography around Chilaw

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Chilaw has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 15 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 67 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 977 m.

The land around Chilaw is covered by water (38%) and trees (33%) within 3 km, water (52%) and trees (39%) within 16 km, and trees (53%) and water (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
15 m
16 km
67 m
80 km
977 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Negombo 41 km · Katunayaka 46 km · Puttalam 51 km · Ja Ela 57 km · Kandana 60 km · Welisara 62 km · Kurunegala 64 km · Hendala 66 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 Chilaw (7.5758°, 79.7953°, 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. 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).