Jaffna weather in October

In October, Jaffna sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 208 mm of rain across 20.9 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 2nd-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 18% 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 Jaffna's 8th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Jaffna's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
8th warmest
Overnight low
27°
6th coldest
Rainfall
208 mm
20.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:02 AM – 5:48 PM
Cloud cover
70%
8th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.2
out of 10

Jaffna is capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.

Density
8,371/km²
people per km²
Founded
1621

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 Jaffna reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°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, October runs on par with September and about 1°C warmer than November.

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 October really feels in Jaffna

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.

Jaffna weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 8th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 25°626.711.57.0
Feb28° / 25°254.211.77.4
Mar29° / 26°223.411.96.5
Apr30° / 28°457.712.25.2
May30° / 28°587.612.45.0
Jun30° / 28°275.512.65.2
Jul30° / 28°339.212.54.9
Aug29° / 28°4810.512.35.0
Sep29° / 27°671212.14.9
Oct29° / 27°20820.911.84.2
Nov28° / 26°3132211.64.5
Dec27° / 25°20016.311.45.5

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 67%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23862
33961
43961
53961
63961
73862
83862
93763
103763
113763
123565
133466
143466
153268
163169
173169
183070
193070
202971
212971
222971
232971
242971
252971
263070
272971
282971
293070
303070
312971

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Jaffna gets around 208 mm of rain over 20.9 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 67% and peaks near 77% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
152
253
355
456
557
658
760
861
962
1063
1164
1266
1367
1468
1569
1670
1771
1872
1972
2073
2173
2273
2374
2474
2574
2675
2775
2875
2976
3076
3177

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 70% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
101783
201882
301882
401981
501981
602080
702080
802179
902179
1002278
1102278
1202377
1302476
1402575
1502674
1602773
1702872
1802971
1903169
2003268
2113465
2213564
2313762
2413861
2513960
2614158
2714257
2814356
2914554
3014653
3114752

Wind in October

Winds average 18 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 22 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
122breezy
221breezy
321breezy
421breezy
521breezy
620breezy
720breezy
820light breeze
920light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

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 6:01 AM to 6:04 AM, and sunset from 5:56 PM to 5:43 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:015:56
211.96:015:56
311.96:015:55
411.96:015:55
511.96:015:54
611.96:015:54
711.96:015:53
811.96:015:52
911.86:015:52
1011.86:015:51
1111.86:015:51
1211.86:015:50
1311.86:015:50
1411.86:015:49
1511.86:015:49
1611.86:025:48
1711.86:025:48
1811.86:025:48
1911.86:025:47
2011.76:025:47
2111.76:025:46
2211.76:025:46
2311.76:025:46
2411.76:025:45
2511.76:035:45
2611.76:035:45
2711.76:035:44
2811.76:035:44
2911.76:035:44
3011.76:045:44
3111.76:045:43

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.07 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.22 kWh/m² to a high of 6.58 kWh/m² in March across the year — October's 5.07 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
194.9Bright
204.9Bright
214.8Bright
224.8Bright
234.8Bright
244.7Bright
254.7Bright
264.6Bright
274.6Bright
284.6Bright
294.5Bright
304.5Bright
314.5Bright
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Jaffna

In seasonPeak

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

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

Jaffna's monsoon runs October–December, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is October a good time to visit Jaffna?

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

4.2
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Jaffna for sightseeing.

What to pack for Jaffna in October

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

In October, Jaffna sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 21 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Jaffna in October

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 14 km away) is warmest in April at about 30°C and coldest in January 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
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Jaffna 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 Jaffna peaks around August 17 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highAug 17UV 13Jan 11UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Jaffna 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 Jaffna is worst in May — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 1623 µg/m³Sep 1817 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May24Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug19Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec19Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Jaffna?

Jaffna sits at 9.7°N, 80.0°E, 7 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Valvedditturai, 24 km away.

ValvedditturaiPoint PedroMannarMullaittivuVavuniyaAnuradhapuraTrincomaleePuttalam

Topography around Jaffna

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Jaffna has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 16 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 22 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 99 m.

The land around Jaffna is covered by water (45%), trees (26%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 3 km, water (46%) and trees (24%) within 16 km, and water (77%) within 80 km.

3 km
16 m
16 km
22 m
80 km
99 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
October weather nearby: Valvedditturai 24 km · Point Pedro 30 km · Mannar 77 km · Mullaittivu 99 km · Vavuniya 115 km · Anuradhapura 157 km · Trincomalee 181 km · Puttalam 183 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 Jaffna (9.6684°, 80.0074°, elevation 7 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).