Polonnaruwa in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Polonnaruwa sees average daytime highs around 34°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 210 mm of rain over about 33 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 31°C in early March to 35°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Spring is Polonnaruwa's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Polonnaruwa's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 34°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 25°C
- Rainfall
- 210 mm
- 33 wet days
- Avg wind
- 9 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.9
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Polonnaruwa in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 31°C in early March to 35°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Polonnaruwa reaches about 34°C and drops to 25°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is May, the coolest March.
How spring really feels in Polonnaruwa
Once humidity and wind are folded in, spring brings about 92 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in spring is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Polonnaruwa weather by month
How the three spring months (March, April and May) 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 | 29° / 22° | 110 | 14.3 | 11.6 | 4.8 |
| Feb | 30° / 22° | 73 | 10.7 | 11.7 | 4.7 |
| Mar | 33° / 23° | 50 | 9.1 | 11.9 | 3.8 |
| Apr | 34° / 25° | 92 | 14.2 | 12.2 | 2.5 |
| May | 35° / 26° | 67 | 9.3 | 12.4 | 2.5 |
| Jun | 35° / 27° | 18 | 4.1 | 12.5 | 2.8 |
| Jul | 35° / 26° | 26 | 5.4 | 12.4 | 2.8 |
| Aug | 35° / 26° | 32 | 5.6 | 12.3 | 2.7 |
| Sep | 35° / 26° | 53 | 8.2 | 12 | 2.6 |
| Oct | 33° / 25° | 181 | 17.3 | 11.8 | 2.7 |
| Nov | 30° / 23° | 233 | 22.6 | 11.6 | 3.2 |
| Dec | 29° / 23° | 207 | 19.7 | 11.5 | 4.1 |
Cloud cover in Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Polonnaruwa gets around 210 mm of rain over 33 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 9 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min in early March to 12 h 24 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 6.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Polonnaruwa
In spring, Polonnaruwa overlaps its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Polonnaruwa sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.
Polonnaruwa's monsoon runs October–January, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is spring a good time to visit Polonnaruwa?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Polonnaruwa.
What to pack for Polonnaruwa in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Polonnaruwa sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 33 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Polonnaruwa in Spring
The nearest coast averages about 30°C across spring — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 63 km away) is warmest in May 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 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 28 | Warm |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 30 | Tropical |
| May | 30 | Tropical |
| Jun | 30 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 28 | Warm |
UV index in Polonnaruwa in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages 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 Polonnaruwa peaks around April 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 10 (very high).
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) | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Extreme |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 14 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Very high |
Air quality in Polonnaruwa in Spring
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where spring falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Polonnaruwa is worst in May — around 28 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 22 | 21 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 25 | 24 | 22 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22 | Moderate |
| Feb | 21 | Moderate |
| Mar | 24 | Moderate |
| Apr | 27 | Moderate |
| May | 28 | Moderate |
| Jun | 21 | Moderate |
| Jul | 20 | Moderate |
| Aug | 20 | Moderate |
| Sep | 21 | Moderate |
| Oct | 25 | Moderate |
| Nov | 24 | Moderate |
| Dec | 22 | Moderate |
Where is Polonnaruwa?
Polonnaruwa sits at 7.9°N, 81.0°E, 0 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Sigiriya, 28 km away.
Topography around Polonnaruwa
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Polonnaruwa.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Polonnaruwa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 38 m around an average of 57 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 297 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,871 m.
The land around Polonnaruwa is covered by trees (48%) and cropland (20%) within 3 km, trees (58%) and cropland (29%) within 16 km, and trees (60%) 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 Polonnaruwa (7.9397°, 81.0027°, elevation 0 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.