Negombo weather in January

In January, Negombo sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 38 mm of rain across 6.4 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 12th-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 37% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of January to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Negombo's 3rd-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Negombo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
5th warmest
Overnight low
24°
1st coldest
Rainfall
38 mm
6.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:31 AM – 6:09 PM
Cloud cover
55%
3rd clearest
Wind
18 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.6 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Negombo is city in Sri Lanka.

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

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical January day in Negombo reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12924
22924
32924
42924
52924
62924
72924
82924
92924
102924
112924
122924
132924
142924
152924
162924
172924
182924
192924
202924
212924
222924
232924
242924
252924
263024
273024
283024
293024
303024
313024

How January really feels in Negombo

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 21 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
21
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in January is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Negombo weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 5th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 24°386.411.65.8
Feb30° / 25°396.511.85.5
Mar30° / 26°7615.8124.4
Apr30° / 27°1632612.23.2
May29° / 27°25428.612.33.0
Jun29° / 27°2242712.43.2
Jul28° / 26°17624.612.43.7
Aug28° / 26°16423.912.23.9
Sep28° / 26°21525.3123.6
Oct28° / 26°31426.411.83.5
Nov29° / 25°27222.411.73.8
Dec29° / 25°13714.111.65.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 46%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15149
25248
35248
45347
55347
65446
75446
85545
95545
105446
115446
125545
135545
145545
155545
165545
175446
185446
195446
205446
215446
225545
235545
245446
255446
265446
275446
285545
295545
305545
315644

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Negombo gets around 38 mm of rain over 6.4 wet days in January, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 21% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
227
326
426
526
625
725
825
924
1024
1124
1223
1322
1422
1521
1620
1720
1819
1918
2018
2117
2217
2317
2417
2517
2618
2718
2819
2919
3020
3121

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the oppressive band about 69% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1120745
2121735
3121744
4121744
5121744
6121744
7121753
8122743
9122743
10123742
11124732
12125722
13126712
14127702
15128692
16129682
17131671
18132661
19133651
20134641
21135631
22136621
23136621
24136621
25135631
26135631
27134641
28134641
29133651
30132661
31131671

Wind in January

Winds average 18 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1218light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of January to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:26 AM to 6:33 AM, and sunset from 6:01 PM to 6:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:266:01
211.66:276:02
311.66:276:02
411.66:276:03
511.66:286:03
611.66:286:04
711.66:286:04
811.66:296:05
911.66:296:05
1011.66:306:06
1111.66:306:06
1211.66:306:07
1311.66:306:07
1411.66:316:08
1511.66:316:08
1611.66:316:09
1711.66:316:09
1811.66:326:10
1911.66:326:10
2011.66:326:10
2111.66:326:11
2211.66:336:11
2311.66:336:12
2411.76:336:12
2511.76:336:12
2611.76:336:13
2711.76:336:13
2811.76:336:13
2911.76:336:14
3011.76:336:14
3111.76:336:15

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.6 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.69 kWh/m² to a high of 6.43 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 5.6 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Negombo

In seasonPeak

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

Negombo 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 January a good time to visit Negombo?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
7.5
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Negombo for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Negombo in January

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

In January, Negombo sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 6 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Negombo in January

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in January — 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 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 Negombo in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks 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 Negombo peaks around February 17 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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 highFeb 17UV 13Dec 15UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Negombo in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Negombo is worst in March — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.8× the cleanest month (August, 17 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMar 2030 µg/m³Aug 2417 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan23Moderate
Feb23Moderate
Mar30Moderate
Apr28Moderate
May24Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct19Moderate
Nov24Moderate
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Negombo?

Negombo sits at 7.2°N, 79.8°E, 8 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Katunayaka, 7.0 km away.

HendalaWattalaPeliyagodaKelaniya

Topography around Negombo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Negombo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 69 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,554 m.

The land around Negombo is covered by water (52%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 3 km, water (54%) and trees (37%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and water (36%) within 80 km.

3 km
13 m
16 km
69 m
80 km
1,554 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
January weather nearby: Katunayaka 7.0 km · Ja Ela 16 km · Kandana 19 km · Welisara 21 km · Hendala 25 km · Wattala 25 km · Peliyagoda 27 km · Kelaniya 30 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 Negombo (7.2083°, 79.8358°, elevation 8 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).