Ratnapura in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Ratnapura sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 1102 mm of rain over about 69 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the 2nd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 14% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels muggy.
Winter is Ratnapura's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Ratnapura has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Ratnapura's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 19°C
- Rainfall
- 1102 mm
- 69 wet days
- Avg wind
- 3 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.4
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Ratnapura in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical winter day in Ratnapura reaches about 27°C and drops to 19°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
Ratnapura weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) 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 | 27° / 19° | 308 | 22.8 | 11.7 | 4.5 |
| Feb | 28° / 19° | 279 | 20.5 | 11.8 | 4.6 |
| Mar | 28° / 20° | 309 | 27.4 | 12 | 3.7 |
| Apr | 28° / 21° | 468 | 29 | 12.1 | 3.3 |
| May | 27° / 22° | 310 | 29.6 | 12.3 | 3.4 |
| Jun | 26° / 22° | 267 | 27.9 | 12.4 | 3.6 |
| Jul | 26° / 21° | 246 | 28.5 | 12.3 | 3.7 |
| Aug | 26° / 21° | 228 | 28.3 | 12.2 | 3.7 |
| Sep | 26° / 21° | 246 | 26 | 12 | 3.9 |
| Oct | 27° / 21° | 497 | 27.5 | 11.9 | 3.8 |
| Nov | 27° / 20° | 661 | 26.9 | 11.7 | 3.8 |
| Dec | 27° / 20° | 515 | 26.1 | 11.6 | 4.0 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 14% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Ratnapura gets around 1102 mm of rain over 69 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 3 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min in early December to 11 h 54 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 5.0 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Ratnapura
In winter, Ratnapura overlaps its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Ratnapura sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.
Is winter a good time to visit Ratnapura?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Ratnapura for sightseeing.
What to pack for Ratnapura in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Ratnapura sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 69 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Ratnapura in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 28°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 59 km away) is warmest in April at about 30°C and coldest in August near 28°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) | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
| Comfort | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Warm |
| Feb | 28 | Tropical |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 30 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 28 | Tropical |
| Jul | 28 | Warm |
| Aug | 28 | Warm |
| Sep | 28 | Warm |
| Oct | 28 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 28 | Tropical |
UV index in Ratnapura in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages 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 Ratnapura peaks around April 17 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 10 (extreme).
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) | 11 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Extreme |
Air quality in Ratnapura in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Ratnapura is worst in January — around 84 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.8× the cleanest month (July, 29 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 84 | 78 | 73 | 62 | 44 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 35 | 52 | 74 | 81 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 78 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 73 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 62 | Unhealthy |
| May | 44 | Poor |
| Jun | 31 | Moderate |
| Jul | 29 | Moderate |
| Aug | 30 | Moderate |
| Sep | 35 | Poor |
| Oct | 52 | Poor |
| Nov | 74 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 81 | Unhealthy |
Where is Ratnapura?
Ratnapura sits at 6.7°N, 80.4°E, 73 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Hatton, 31 km away.
Topography around Ratnapura
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Ratnapura.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Ratnapura has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 364 m around an average of 79 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,947 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,500 m.
The land around Ratnapura is covered by trees (93%) within 3 km, trees (98%) within 16 km, and trees (79%) 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 Ratnapura (6.6858°, 80.4036°, elevation 73 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.