Kataragama in Summer
In summer (June, July and August), Kataragama sees average daytime highs around 34°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 68 mm of rain over about 16 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 34°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Kataragama's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Kataragama's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 34°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 25°C
- Rainfall
- 68 mm
- 16 wet days
- Avg wind
- 17 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.9
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Jun · Jul · Aug
Temperature in Kataragama in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 34°C.
A typical summer day in Kataragama reaches about 34°C and drops to 25°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is July, the coolest August.
How summer really feels in Kataragama
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 92 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Kataragama weather by month
How the three summer months (June, July and August) 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 | 30° / 22° | 96 | 10.7 | 11.7 | 5.0 |
| Feb | 31° / 22° | 62 | 9.8 | 11.8 | 4.4 |
| Mar | 33° / 22° | 76 | 11.8 | 12 | 3.4 |
| Apr | 33° / 24° | 148 | 20.5 | 12.1 | 2.7 |
| May | 33° / 25° | 78 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 3.0 |
| Jun | 34° / 25° | 24 | 5.8 | 12.4 | 3.0 |
| Jul | 35° / 25° | 20 | 4.4 | 12.3 | 2.9 |
| Aug | 35° / 25° | 24 | 5.8 | 12.2 | 2.8 |
| Sep | 34° / 25° | 52 | 10.2 | 12 | 2.8 |
| Oct | 32° / 24° | 193 | 18.8 | 11.9 | 2.9 |
| Nov | 30° / 23° | 283 | 23.8 | 11.7 | 3.2 |
| Dec | 29° / 22° | 192 | 18.1 | 11.6 | 4.2 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Kataragama gets around 68 mm of rain over 16 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 17 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min in early June to 12 h 06 min by late August. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Kataragama
In summer, Kataragama overlaps 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.
Is summer a good time to visit Kataragama?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kataragama.
What to pack for Kataragama in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Kataragama sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 16 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Kataragama in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 28°C across summer — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 28 | Warm |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 30 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 28 | Tropical |
| Jul | 28 | Tropical |
| Aug | 28 | Warm |
| Sep | 28 | Warm |
| Oct | 28 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 28 | Warm |
UV index in Kataragama in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 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 | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Extreme |
Air quality in Kataragama in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 42 | 36 | 41 | 44 | 36 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 41 | 48 | 44 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42 | Poor |
| Feb | 36 | Poor |
| Mar | 41 | Poor |
| Apr | 44 | Poor |
| May | 36 | Poor |
| Jun | 27 | Moderate |
| Jul | 27 | Moderate |
| Aug | 28 | Moderate |
| Sep | 29 | Moderate |
| Oct | 41 | Poor |
| Nov | 48 | Poor |
| Dec | 44 | Poor |
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.
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.
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 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.