Chilaw weather in October

In October, Chilaw sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 298 mm of rain across 26.1 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in October, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 54 min at the start of October to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Chilaw's 9th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chilaw's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
9th warmest
Overnight low
26°
5th coldest
Rainfall
298 mm
26.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:01 AM – 5:51 PM
Cloud cover
78%
9th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.99 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.5
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 October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical October day in Chilaw reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs on par with September and on par with November.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62826
72826
82826
92826
102926
112926
122926
132926
142926
152926
162926
172926
182926
192925
202925
212925
222925
232925
242925
252925
262925
272925
282925
292925
302925
312925

How October really feels in Chilaw

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

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

Chilaw weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 9th-warmest and 1st-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 October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 79%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12377
22377
32476
42377
52377
62377
72377
82377
92278
102179
112179
122080
132080
141981
151981
161981
171882
181882
191882
201981
211981
221981
231981
241981
251981
261981
272179
282179
292080
302080
312080

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Chilaw gets around 298 mm of rain over 26.1 wet days in October, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 84% and peaks near 86% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
181
281
381
481
582
682
783
883
984
1084
1185
1285
1385
1486
1586
1686
1786
1886
1985
2085
2185
2285
2385
2485
2584
2684
2784
2884
2984
3085
3185

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the miserable band about 68% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12080
22080
32179
42179
52278
62278
72377
82377
92476
102476
112575
122674
132773
142872
153070
163169
173367
183466
193565
203763
213862
223961
234060
244159
254357
264456
274555
284654
294753
304852
314951

Wind in October

Winds average 14 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min at the start of October to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:02 AM to 6:02 AM, and sunset from 5:58 PM to 5:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:025:58
211.96:025:57
311.96:025:57
411.96:015:56
511.96:015:56
611.96:015:55
711.96:015:55
811.96:015:54
911.96:015:54
1011.96:015:53
1111.96:015:53
1211.96:015:52
1311.96:015:52
1411.86:015:52
1511.86:015:51
1611.86:015:51
1711.86:015:50
1811.86:015:50
1911.86:015:50
2011.86:015:49
2111.86:015:49
2211.86:015:49
2311.86:015:48
2411.86:015:48
2511.86:015:48
2611.86:025:47
2711.86:025:47
2811.86:025:47
2911.76:025:47
3011.76:025:47
3111.76:025:46

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 4.99 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 — October's 4.99 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
194.9Bright
204.9Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.8Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.8Bright
304.7Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Chilaw

In seasonPeak

In October, Chilaw sits inside its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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 October a good time to visit Chilaw?

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

3.5
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Chilaw.

What to pack for Chilaw in October

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

In October, Chilaw sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 26 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Chilaw in October

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in October — 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 October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 12 (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 October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where October 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
October 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).