Dambulla weather in September

In September, Dambulla sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 88 mm of rain across 18.7 wet days and about 12 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in September, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of September to 11 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Dambulla's 6th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dambulla's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
24°
8th coldest
Rainfall
88 mm
18.7 wet days
Daylight
12 hours
6:00 AM – 6:03 PM
Cloud cover
74%
6th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.71 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.3
out of 10

Dambulla is human settlement.

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

Temperature in September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month.

A typical September day in Dambulla reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, September runs on par with August and about 1°C warmer than October.

20°25°30°35°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13124
23124
33124
43124
53124
63124
73124
83124
93124
103124
113124
123124
133124
143124
153124
163124
173124
183124
193124
203124
213124
223124
233124
243124
253123
263123
273123
283123
293123
303123

How September really feels in Dambulla

Once humidity and wind are folded in, September 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 September is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Dambulla weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 3rd-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 20°12815.211.65.5
Feb29° / 20°8411.711.75.4
Mar31° / 21°7410.911.94.4
Apr32° / 23°15218.812.23.1
May31° / 24°11318.312.43.4
Jun31° / 24°4514.212.43.9
Jul31° / 24°5516.112.43.8
Aug31° / 24°6417.912.33.5
Sep31° / 24°8818.7123.3
Oct30° / 23°24822.711.83.3
Nov28° / 22°28224.111.63.7
Dec27° / 21°22921.611.64.6

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 74%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12278
22476
32476
42575
52575
62575
72575
82674
92674
102872
112872
122872
132971
142971
152971
162971
172971
182971
192872
202872
212872
222773
232773
242773
252674
262674
272674
282674
292674
302674

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Dambulla gets around 88 mm of rain over 18.7 wet days in September. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 62% and peaks near 65% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
158
259
359
460
560
661
761
861
961
1061
1161
1261
1361
1461
1561
1662
1762
1862
1962
2062
2162
2263
2363
2463
2564
2664
2764
2865
2965
3065

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, September lands in the oppressive band about 55% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
105149
215049
315049
415049
515049
614950
714950
814851
914851
1014752
1114653
1214653
1314554
1414455
1514455
1604456
1704456
1804456
1904456
2004357
2104357
2204357
2304258
2404258
2504258
2604159
2704060
2804060
2913960
3013861

Wind in September

Winds average 16 km/h in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
218light breeze
318light breeze
418light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of September to 11 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:03 AM to 5:59 AM, and sunset from 6:12 PM to 5:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.26:036:12
212.16:026:11
312.16:026:11
412.16:026:10
512.16:026:09
612.16:026:09
712.16:026:08
812.16:026:08
912.16:016:07
1012.16:016:07
1112.16:016:06
1212.16:016:05
1312.16:016:05
1412.16:016:04
1512.16:016:04
1612.06:006:03
1712.06:006:02
1812.06:006:02
1912.06:006:01
2012.06:006:01
2112.06:006:00
2212.06:005:59
2312.05:595:59
2412.05:595:58
2512.05:595:58
2612.05:595:57
2712.05:595:57
2812.05:595:56
2911.95:595:55
3011.95:595:55

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 5.71 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.76 kWh/m² to a high of 6.29 kWh/m² in March across the year — September's 5.71 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.7Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Dambulla

In seasonPeak

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

Dambulla's rainy season runs October–January, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is September a good time to visit Dambulla?

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

3.3
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

September is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Dambulla.

What to pack for Dambulla in September

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

In September, Dambulla sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 19 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Dambulla in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Dambulla peaks around April 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highApr 20UV 14Dec 20UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Dambulla in September

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Dambulla is worst in April — around 46 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModeratePoorApr 1146 µg/m³Jul 1930 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan40Poor
Feb37Poor
Mar45Poor
Apr46Poor
May40Poor
Jun31Moderate
Jul30Moderate
Aug30Moderate
Sep34Moderate
Oct43Poor
Nov44Poor
Dec41Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Dambulla?

Dambulla sits at 7.9°N, 80.7°E, 168 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Sigiriya, 15 km away.

PolonnaruwaMataleKurunegalaAnuradhapuraKandyKegalleGampola

Topography around Dambulla

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Dambulla has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 186 m around an average of 173 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 747 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,865 m.

The land around Dambulla is covered by trees (69%) within 3 km, trees (73%) within 16 km, and trees (74%) within 80 km.

3 km
186 m
16 km
747 m
80 km
1,865 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
September weather nearby: Sigiriya 15 km · Polonnaruwa 40 km · Matale 44 km · Kurunegala 52 km · Anuradhapura 57 km · Kandy 63 km · Kegalle 76 km · Gampola 78 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 Dambulla (7.86°, 80.6517°, elevation 168 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. 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).