Gampola in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Gampola sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 376 mm of rain over about 34 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 27°C in early December to 29°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels muggy.
Winter is Gampola's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Gampola's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 376 mm
- 34 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.9
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Gampola in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 27°C in early December to 29°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Gampola reaches about 28°C and drops to 20°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Gampola
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Gampola 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 | 27° / 20° | 82 | 9 | 11.6 | 6.5 |
| Feb | 29° / 20° | 84 | 8.2 | 11.8 | 5.8 |
| Mar | 30° / 21° | 118 | 12 | 12 | 4.7 |
| Apr | 30° / 21° | 259 | 21.8 | 12.2 | 3.7 |
| May | 28° / 22° | 158 | 25.5 | 12.3 | 3.7 |
| Jun | 27° / 22° | 131 | 25.1 | 12.4 | 3.9 |
| Jul | 27° / 22° | 137 | 25.2 | 12.4 | 4.1 |
| Aug | 27° / 22° | 122 | 25.1 | 12.2 | 4.1 |
| Sep | 27° / 21° | 136 | 22.5 | 12 | 4.3 |
| Oct | 27° / 21° | 360 | 25.4 | 11.8 | 4.0 |
| Nov | 27° / 21° | 372 | 22.5 | 11.7 | 4.3 |
| Dec | 27° / 20° | 209 | 16.7 | 11.6 | 5.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Gampola gets around 376 mm of rain over 34 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 6 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min in early December to 11 h 48 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 4.8 kWh/m².
Is winter a good time to visit Gampola?
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 Gampola for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Gampola in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Gampola sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 34 days see rain.
UV index in Gampola 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 Gampola peaks around April 18 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 10 (extreme).
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) | 11 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Extreme |
Air quality in Gampola 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 Gampola is worst in November — around 60 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.4× the cleanest month (July, 25 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) | 45 | 41 | 57 | 59 | 42 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 30 | 49 | 60 | 52 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45 | Poor |
| Feb | 41 | Poor |
| Mar | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 59 | Unhealthy |
| May | 42 | Poor |
| Jun | 27 | Moderate |
| Jul | 25 | Moderate |
| Aug | 26 | Moderate |
| Sep | 30 | Moderate |
| Oct | 49 | Poor |
| Nov | 60 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 52 | Poor |
Where is Gampola?
Gampola sits at 7.2°N, 80.6°E, 492 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Kandy, 16 km away.
Topography around Gampola
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Gampola.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Gampola has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 586 m around an average of 576 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,628 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,505 m.
The land around Gampola is covered by trees (90%) within 3 km, trees (92%) within 16 km, and trees (89%) 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 Gampola (7.1643°, 80.5696°, elevation 492 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.