Puttalam weather in December

In December, Puttalam sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 137 mm of rain across 14 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 3rd-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 18% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of December to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Puttalam's 5th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Puttalam's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
12th warmest
Overnight low
25°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
137 mm
14 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:21 AM – 5:53 PM
Cloud cover
70%
5th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
4.58 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.0
out of 10

Puttalam is large town in North Western Province, Sri Lanka.

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

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

A typical December day in Puttalam reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12925
22925
32925
42925
52925
62925
72925
82925
92925
102925
112925
122925
132925
142925
152925
162925
172925
182925
192924
202924
212924
222924
232924
242924
252924
262924
272924
282924
292924
302924
312924

How December really feels in Puttalam

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 14 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
14
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

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

Puttalam weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 12th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 24°416.311.65.9
Feb30° / 24°325.211.75.5
Mar31° / 26°4810.111.94.6
Apr31° / 27°11721.712.23.4
May30° / 27°1352212.43.6
Jun29° / 27°7916.712.54.3
Jul29° / 26°4110.112.45.2
Aug29° / 26°5011.512.35.1
Sep29° / 26°9316.5124.5
Oct29° / 26°22222.511.83.8
Nov29° / 25°24822.111.63.8
Dec29° / 25°1371411.55.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 65%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12971
23070
33169
43169
53169
63169
73169
83268
93268
103268
113268
123268
133268
143268
153268
163268
173367
183367
193565
203565
213664
223664
233763
243961
254060
264258
274357
284555
294555
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Puttalam gets around 137 mm of rain over 14 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 45% and peaks near 58% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
158
256
355
453
552
651
751
850
950
1050
1149
1249
1349
1449
1548
1648
1747
1847
1946
2045
2144
2243
2341
2440
2538
2636
2734
2833
2932
3031
3130

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 76% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1087418
2097417
3097417
40107416
50107515
60107515
70117514
80117514
90117613
100117613
110117712
120117712
130117712
140117811
150117910
160127810
17012799
18012799
19013798
20014797
21014797
22015796
23016786
24017785
25018775
26019774
27120754
28121744
29122734
30123733
31123733

Wind in December

Winds average 17 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of December to 11 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:13 AM to 6:28 AM, and sunset from 5:47 PM to 6:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:135:47
211.66:145:48
311.66:145:48
411.66:155:48
511.66:155:49
611.66:165:49
711.56:165:49
811.56:175:50
911.56:175:50
1011.56:185:50
1111.56:185:51
1211.56:195:51
1311.56:195:52
1411.56:205:52
1511.56:205:52
1611.56:215:53
1711.56:215:53
1811.56:225:54
1911.56:225:54
2011.56:235:55
2111.56:235:55
2211.56:245:56
2311.56:245:56
2411.56:255:57
2511.56:255:57
2611.56:265:58
2711.56:265:58
2811.56:265:59
2911.56:275:59
3011.56:275:59
3111.56:286:00

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.58 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.56 kWh/m² to a high of 6.56 kWh/m² in March across the year — December's 4.58 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.5Bright
24.5Bright
34.5Bright
44.5Bright
54.5Bright
64.5Bright
74.5Bright
84.5Bright
94.5Bright
104.5Bright
114.5Bright
124.5Bright
134.5Bright
144.5Bright
154.5Bright
164.5Bright
174.5Bright
184.5Bright
194.5Bright
204.5Bright
214.5Bright
224.6Bright
234.6Bright
244.6Bright
254.7Bright
264.7Bright
274.7Bright
284.7Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Puttalam

In seasonPeak

In December, Puttalam sits inside its cyclone and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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

Puttalam's rainy season runs October–December, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Puttalam?

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

5.0
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
6.2
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Puttalam in December

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

In December, Puttalam sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Puttalam in December

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 24 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
Feb28Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun28Tropical
Jul27Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep28Warm
Oct28Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Puttalam in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Puttalam peaks around April 19 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highApr 19UV 13Dec 20UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Puttalam in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Puttalam is worst in March — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 16 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMar 2330 µg/m³Oct 2016 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb18Moderate
Mar30Moderate
Apr29Moderate
May25Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Puttalam?

Puttalam sits at 8.0°N, 79.8°E, 8 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Chilaw, 51 km away.

ChilawAnuradhapuraKurunegalaNegomboDambullaKatunayakaSigiriyaKegalle

Topography around Puttalam

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Puttalam has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 30 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 93 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 580 m.

The land around Puttalam is covered by water (45%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, trees (45%) and water (33%) within 16 km, and trees (50%) and water (38%) within 80 km.

3 km
30 m
16 km
93 m
80 km
580 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Chilaw 51 km · Anuradhapura 71 km · Kurunegala 86 km · Negombo 92 km · Dambulla 93 km · Katunayaka 97 km · Sigiriya 102 km · Kegalle 104 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 Puttalam (8.0362°, 79.8283°, 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).