Hambantota weather in May

In May, Hambantota sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 101 mm of rain across 18.6 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-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 16% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Hambantota's 7th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Hambantota's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
26°
11th coldest
Rainfall
101 mm
18.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
5:53 AM – 6:10 PM
Cloud cover
72%
7th clearest
Wind
25 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.51 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.5
out of 10

Hambantota is main town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka.

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

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

A typical May day in Hambantota reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

24°26°28°30°32°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12927
22927
32927
42927
52927
62927
72927
82927
92927
102927
112927
122927
132927
142927
152927
162927
172927
182926
192826
202826
212826
222826
232826
242826
252826
262826
272826
282826
292826
302826
312826

How May really feels in Hambantota

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

Hambantota weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°568.611.76.6
Feb28° / 25°427.911.86.5
Mar28° / 26°5811.3125.8
Apr29° / 27°11018.812.14.5
May29° / 26°10118.612.34.5
Jun28° / 26°6014.712.35.0
Jul28° / 26°4513.112.35.6
Aug28° / 26°521312.25.7
Sep28° / 26°8716.8125.2
Oct28° / 26°14120.211.94.8
Nov28° / 25°23123.211.74.3
Dec27° / 25°15316.911.75.3

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 68%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23862
33664
43664
53763
63664
73664
83565
93565
103565
113565
123565
133466
143466
153466
163466
173367
183268
193169
203169
213070
222971
232971
242872
252872
262773
272575
282575
292476
302377
312278

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Hambantota gets around 101 mm of rain over 18.6 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 59% and peaks near 63% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
163
263
362
461
561
660
760
859
959
1058
1158
1258
1357
1457
1557
1657
1757
1857
1958
2058
2159
2259
2359
2460
2560
2660
2760
2860
2960
3060
3159

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 94% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1793
2793
3793
4694
5694
6694
7694
8694
9694
10595
11595
12595
13595
14595
15595
16496
17496
18496
19595
20595
21595
22595
23694
24694
25694
26793
27793
28892
29892
30991
311090

Wind in May

Winds average 25 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 28 km/h at its breeziest. Calmer and breezier days trade off through the month.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
320light breeze
420breezy
521breezy
621breezy
722breezy
822breezy
923breezy
1023breezy
1123breezy
1224breezy
1324breezy
1425breezy
1525breezy
1626breezy
1726breezy
1826breezy
1927breezy
2027breezy
2127breezy
2227breezy
2327breezy
2428breezy
2528breezy
2628breezy
2728breezy
2828breezy
2928breezy
3028breezy
3128breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:56 AM to 5:53 AM, and sunset from 6:09 PM to 6:13 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.25:566:09
212.25:566:09
312.25:566:09
412.25:566:09
512.25:556:09
612.25:556:09
712.25:556:09
812.25:556:09
912.25:546:09
1012.35:546:09
1112.35:546:10
1212.35:546:10
1312.35:546:10
1412.35:546:10
1512.35:546:10
1612.35:536:10
1712.35:536:10
1812.35:536:10
1912.35:536:11
2012.35:536:11
2112.35:536:11
2212.35:536:11
2312.35:536:11
2412.35:536:11
2512.35:536:12
2612.35:536:12
2712.35:536:12
2812.35:536:12
2912.35:536:12
3012.35:536:12
3112.35:536:13

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.51 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.51 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.5Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.4Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Hambantota

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

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

Is May a good time to visit Hambantota?

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

4.5
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Hambantota for sightseeing.

What to pack for Hambantota in May

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

In May, Hambantota sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection and a windbreaker. About 19 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Hambantota in May

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in April at about 29°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°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun28Warm
Jul28Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep28Warm
Oct28Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Hambantota in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May 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 Hambantota peaks around April 16 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeApr 16UV 14Dec 19UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Hambantota in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Hambantota is worst in November — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateNov 2121 µg/m³Sep 1416 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan21Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov21Moderate
Dec20Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Hambantota?

Hambantota sits at 6.1°N, 81.1°E, 10 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Ambalantota, 11 km away.

KataragamaBeliattaDevinuwaraMataraMirissaWeligamaElla

Topography around Hambantota

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Hambantota has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 35 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 96 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,105 m.

The land around Hambantota is covered by water (62%) within 3 km, water (54%) and trees (22%) within 16 km, and trees (56%) and water (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
35 m
16 km
96 m
80 km
2,105 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Ambalantota 11 km · Kataragama 40 km · Beliatta 43 km · Devinuwara 62 km · Matara 67 km · Mirissa 76 km · Weligama 78 km · Ella 84 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 Hambantota (6.1241°, 81.1185°, elevation 10 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).