Kataragama weather in May

In May, Kataragama sees average daytime highs of 33°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 78 mm of rain across 13.4 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

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 Kataragama's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kataragama's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
5th warmest
Overnight low
25°
9th coldest
Rainfall
78 mm
13.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
5:52 AM – 6:10 PM
Cloud cover
73%
5th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.75 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.0
out of 10

Kataragama is city of Kataragama in Uva 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 33°C through the month.

A typical May day in Kataragama reaches about 33°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°C and 36°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and about 1°C cooler than June.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13324
23324
33324
43324
53324
63324
73325
83325
93325
103325
113325
123325
133325
143325
153325
163325
173325
183325
193325
203425
213425
223425
233425
243425
253425
263425
273425
283425
293425
303425
313425

How May really feels in Kataragama

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
17 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
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.

Kataragama weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 22°9610.711.75.0
Feb31° / 22°629.811.84.4
Mar33° / 22°7611.8123.4
Apr33° / 24°14820.512.12.7
May33° / 25°7813.412.33.0
Jun34° / 25°245.812.43.0
Jul35° / 25°204.412.32.9
Aug35° / 25°245.812.22.8
Sep34° / 25°5210.2122.8
Oct32° / 24°19318.811.92.9
Nov30° / 23°28323.811.73.2
Dec29° / 22°19218.111.64.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 70%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13367
23367
33466
43466
53466
63466
73367
83367
93367
103367
113367
123268
133268
143169
153169
163169
173070
183070
193070
202971
212971
222971
232872
242872
252773
262674
272674
282575
292476
302476
312377

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kataragama gets around 78 mm of rain over 13.4 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 43% and peaks near 60% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
160
260
358
457
556
655
753
852
951
1049
1147
1246
1344
1443
1542
1640
1739
1838
1937
2036
2135
2235
2334
2434
2534
2633
2733
2832
2932
3031
3131

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive 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 (%)
115544
215544
315445
415445
515445
615544
715643
815742
915940
1016039
1116237
1216435
1316633
1416732
1516930
1617128
1707327
1817425
1917623
2017722
2117821
2218019
2318118
2418217
2518316
2618514
2728513
2828612
2928711
3038710
313889

Wind in May

Winds average 15 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
712calm
812calm
912light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

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 5:55 AM to 5:52 AM, and sunset from 6:09 PM to 6:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.25:556:09
212.25:556:09
312.25:556:09
412.25:546:09
512.25:546:09
612.25:546:09
712.35:546:09
812.35:536:09
912.35:536:09
1012.35:536:09
1112.35:536:09
1212.35:536:09
1312.35:536:09
1412.35:526:09
1512.35:526:10
1612.35:526:10
1712.35:526:10
1812.35:526:10
1912.35:526:10
2012.35:526:10
2112.35:526:10
2212.35:526:11
2312.35:526:11
2412.35:526:11
2512.35:526:11
2612.35:526:11
2712.35:526:11
2812.35:526:12
2912.35:526:12
3012.35:526:12
3112.35:526:12

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.75 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.42 kWh/m² to a high of 6.27 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.75 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.7Bright
35.7Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.7Bright
275.7Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kataragama

In seasonPeak

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

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

Kataragama'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 May a good time to visit Kataragama?

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

3.0
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kataragama.

What to pack for Kataragama in May

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

In May, Kataragama sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Kataragama 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 at the nearest coast (about 32 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
Feb28Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun28Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug28Warm
Sep28Warm
Oct28Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Kataragama 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 Kataragama peaks around April 16 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 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 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Kataragama 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 Kataragama is worst in November — around 48 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 1.8× the cleanest month (July, 27 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModeratePoorNov 1847 µg/m³Jul 1327 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan42Poor
Feb36Poor
Mar41Poor
Apr44Poor
May36Poor
Jun27Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug28Moderate
Sep29Moderate
Oct41Poor
Nov48Poor
Dec44Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Kataragama?

Kataragama sits at 6.4°N, 81.3°E, 48 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Hambantota, 40 km away.

HambantotaAmbalantotaEllaBadullaPottuvilBeliattaNuwara EliyaHatton

Topography around Kataragama

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kataragama has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 371 m around an average of 70 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 401 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,334 m.

The land around Kataragama is covered by trees (80%) within 3 km, trees (83%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and water (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
371 m
16 km
401 m
80 km
2,334 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Hambantota 40 km · Ambalantota 48 km · Ella 60 km · Badulla 70 km · Pottuvil 75 km · Beliatta 78 km · Nuwara Eliya 87 km · Hatton 97 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 Kataragama (6.4134°, 81.3346°, elevation 48 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).