Kurunegala weather in March

In March, Kurunegala sees average daytime highs of 34°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 70 mm of rain across 11 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 34°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in March, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Kurunegala's 1st-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kurunegala's year-round climate.

Daytime high
34°
1st warmest
Overnight low
24°
6th coldest
Rainfall
70 mm
11 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
6:20 AM – 6:17 PM
Cloud cover
51%
1st clearest
Wind
6 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
6.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.9
out of 10

Kurunegala is human settlement.

Density
2,597/km²
people per km²

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

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 34°C through the month.

A typical March day in Kurunegala reaches about 34°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°C and 37°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 2°C warmer than February and about 1°C warmer than April.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13423
23423
33423
43423
53423
63423
73423
83423
93423
103423
113423
123424
133424
143424
153424
163424
173424
183524
193524
203524
213524
223524
233524
243424
253424
263424
273424
283424
293424
303424
313424

How March really feels in Kurunegala

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

Kurunegala weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 1st-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 22°506.111.65.1
Feb33° / 23°455.811.84.1
Mar34° / 24°701111.92.9
Apr33° / 24°17421.812.22.5
May31° / 25°17427.212.32.7
Jun30° / 25°16727.312.42.9
Jul29° / 24°14726.512.43.2
Aug29° / 24°14126.412.23.2
Sep30° / 24°15924.8123.2
Oct30° / 23°3192711.83.0
Nov30° / 23°27221.611.73.5
Dec30° / 23°14314.311.64.6

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in March, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 38%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16238
26238
36238
46238
56238
66238
76337
86337
96238
106337
116337
126337
136337
146337
156337
166436
176436
186436
196436
206436
216436
226436
236436
246238
256238
266139
276040
285941
295743
305644
315545

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Kurunegala gets around 70 mm of rain over 11 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 36% and peaks near 57% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
123
224
325
425
526
627
728
829
930
1030
1130
1231
1331
1431
1532
1632
1733
1834
1935
2036
2137
2239
2340
2442
2544
2646
2748
2850
2953
3055
3157

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, March lands in the oppressive band about 65% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 93% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
121435490
221335490
321335500
421234520
521234520
621133540
721133540
811032570
91932580
101932580
111832590
121731610
131731610
140631630
150630640
160529651
170528661
180427681
190426691
200425701
210324712
220323722
230322732
240320752
250219763
260217783
270216784
280214804
290213805
300111826
310110836

Wind in March

Winds average 6 km/h in March, the calmest month.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:26 AM to 6:12 AM, and sunset from 6:17 PM to 6:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.86:266:17
211.96:266:17
311.96:266:17
411.96:256:17
511.96:256:17
611.96:246:17
711.96:246:17
811.96:246:17
911.96:236:17
1011.96:236:17
1111.96:226:17
1211.96:226:17
1311.96:216:17
1411.96:216:17
1511.96:206:17
1611.96:206:17
1712.06:196:17
1812.06:196:16
1912.06:186:16
2012.06:186:16
2112.06:176:16
2212.06:176:16
2312.06:166:16
2412.06:166:16
2512.06:156:16
2612.06:156:16
2712.06:146:16
2812.06:136:15
2912.06:136:15
3012.06:126:15
3112.16:126:15

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 6.31 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.34 kWh/m² to a high of 6.31 kWh/m² in March across the year — March's 6.31 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.3Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Kurunegala

In seasonPeak

None of Kurunegala's seasonal hazards are active in March. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

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

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

Is March a good time to visit Kurunegala?

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

2.9
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kurunegala.

What to pack for Kurunegala in March

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

In March, Kurunegala sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Kurunegala in March

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

The sea at the nearest coast (about 56 km away) is warmest in April at about 30°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°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun28Tropical
Jul28Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep28Warm
Oct28Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Kurunegala in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March 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 Kurunegala peaks around April 18 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highApr 18UV 14Dec 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Kurunegala in March

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Kurunegala is worst in November — around 60 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.4× the cleanest month (July, 25 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorNov 1759 µg/m³Jul 2025 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan45Poor
Feb41Poor
Mar57Unhealthy
Apr59Unhealthy
May42Poor
Jun27Moderate
Jul25Moderate
Aug26Moderate
Sep30Moderate
Oct49Poor
Nov60Unhealthy
Dec52Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Kurunegala?

Kurunegala sits at 7.5°N, 80.4°E, 146 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Kegalle, 26 km away.

KegalleMataleKandyGampolaDambullaKatunayakaChilawNegombo

Topography around Kurunegala

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kurunegala has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 211 m around an average of 134 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 749 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,500 m.

The land around Kurunegala is covered by trees (68%) within 3 km, trees (84%) within 16 km, and trees (80%) within 80 km.

3 km
211 m
16 km
749 m
80 km
2,500 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
March weather nearby: Kegalle 26 km · Matale 28 km · Kandy 36 km · Gampola 42 km · Dambulla 52 km · Katunayaka 63 km · Chilaw 64 km · Negombo 66 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 Kurunegala (7.4839°, 80.3683°, elevation 146 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).