Puttalam weather in October

In October, Puttalam sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 222 mm of rain across 22.5 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 2nd-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 11% of the time in October, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 54 min at the start of October to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Puttalam's 8th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Puttalam's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
8th warmest
Overnight low
26°
6th coldest
Rainfall
222 mm
22.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:01 AM – 5:50 PM
Cloud cover
76%
8th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.8
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 October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

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

A typical October day in Puttalam reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 3°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, October runs on par with September and on par with November.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12926
22926
32926
42926
52926
62926
72926
82926
92926
102926
112926
122926
132926
142926
152926
162926
172926
182926
192926
202926
212925
222925
232925
242925
252925
262925
272925
282925
292925
302925
312925

How October really feels in Puttalam

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

Puttalam weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 8th-warmest and 2nd-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 October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 11% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 76%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13169
23169
33169
43169
53169
63169
72971
82971
92971
102773
112773
122674
132476
142476
152278
162179
172179
182080
192080
201981
211981
221981
232179
242179
252179
262179
272179
282179
292278
302278
312278

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Puttalam gets around 222 mm of rain over 22.5 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 73% and peaks near 79% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
162
263
364
465
566
667
768
869
970
1071
1172
1273
1374
1475
1575
1676
1776
1876
1976
2076
2176
2276
2376
2476
2576
2677
2777
2877
2978
3078
3179

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the miserable band about 68% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12377
22377
32377
42377
52377
62476
72476
82476
92476
102575
112575
122674
132773
142872
152971
163070
173169
183367
193466
203565
213763
223862
233961
244060
254159
264357
274456
284555
294654
304753
314852

Wind in October

Winds average 16 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120light breeze
220light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
718light breeze
818light breeze
918light breeze
1018light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min at the start of October to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:02 AM to 6:03 AM, and sunset from 5:58 PM to 5:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:025:58
211.96:025:57
311.96:025:56
411.96:025:56
511.96:015:55
611.96:015:55
711.96:015:54
811.96:015:54
911.96:015:53
1011.96:015:53
1111.96:015:52
1211.86:015:52
1311.86:015:52
1411.86:015:51
1511.86:015:51
1611.86:015:50
1711.86:015:50
1811.86:015:50
1911.86:015:49
2011.86:015:49
2111.86:015:48
2211.86:015:48
2311.86:025:48
2411.86:025:47
2511.86:025:47
2611.86:025:47
2711.76:025:47
2811.76:025:46
2911.76:025:46
3011.76:035:46
3111.76:035:46

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.1 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 — October's 5.1 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.4Bright
75.4Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.0Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.7Bright
294.7Bright
304.7Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Puttalam

In seasonPeak

In October, 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 October a good time to visit Puttalam?

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

3.8
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Puttalam.

What to pack for Puttalam in October

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

In October, Puttalam sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 23 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Puttalam in October

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in October — 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 October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks 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 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 October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where October 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
October 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).