Hambantota in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Hambantota sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 251 mm of rain over about 33 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Hambantota's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Hambantota has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Hambantota's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 25°C
- Rainfall
- 251 mm
- 33 wet days
- Avg wind
- 19 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.1
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Hambantota in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C.
A typical winter day in Hambantota reaches about 28°C and drops to 25°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Hambantota
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.
Hambantota 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 | 28° / 25° | 56 | 8.6 | 11.7 | 6.6 |
| Feb | 28° / 25° | 42 | 7.9 | 11.8 | 6.5 |
| Mar | 28° / 26° | 58 | 11.3 | 12 | 5.8 |
| Apr | 29° / 27° | 110 | 18.8 | 12.1 | 4.5 |
| May | 29° / 26° | 101 | 18.6 | 12.3 | 4.5 |
| Jun | 28° / 26° | 60 | 14.7 | 12.3 | 5.0 |
| Jul | 28° / 26° | 45 | 13.1 | 12.3 | 5.6 |
| Aug | 28° / 26° | 52 | 13 | 12.2 | 5.7 |
| Sep | 28° / 26° | 87 | 16.8 | 12 | 5.2 |
| Oct | 28° / 26° | 141 | 20.2 | 11.9 | 4.8 |
| Nov | 28° / 25° | 231 | 23.2 | 11.7 | 4.3 |
| Dec | 27° / 25° | 153 | 16.9 | 11.7 | 5.3 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Hambantota gets around 251 mm of rain over 33 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 19 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min in early December to 11 h 54 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 5.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Hambantota
In winter, Hambantota overlaps its cyclone and rainy season 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.
Is winter a good time to visit Hambantota?
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 Hambantota for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Hambantota in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Hambantota sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 33 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Hambantota in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 28°C across winter — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 28 | Warm |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 28 | Warm |
| Jul | 28 | Warm |
| Aug | 27 | Warm |
| Sep | 28 | Warm |
| Oct | 28 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 28 | Warm |
UV index in Hambantota 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 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 | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Extreme |
Air quality in Hambantota 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 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 20 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | Moderate |
| Feb | 19 | Moderate |
| Mar | 20 | Moderate |
| Apr | 20 | Moderate |
| May | 20 | Moderate |
| Jun | 17 | Moderate |
| Jul | 17 | Moderate |
| Aug | 17 | Moderate |
| Sep | 16 | Moderate |
| Oct | 18 | Moderate |
| Nov | 21 | Moderate |
| Dec | 20 | Moderate |
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.
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.
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 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.