Vakarai weather in January

In January, Vakarai sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 136 mm of rain across 14.7 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of January to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Vakarai's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Vakarai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
12th warmest
Overnight low
25°
1st coldest
Rainfall
136 mm
14.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:26 AM – 6:01 PM
Cloud cover
62%
4th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
4.96 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Vakarai is town 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 27°C through the month.

A typical January day in Vakarai reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12725
22725
32725
42725
52725
62725
72725
82725
92725
102725
112725
122725
132725
142725
152725
162725
172725
182725
192725
202725
212725
222725
232725
242725
252725
262725
272725
282725
292725
302725
312725

How January really feels in Vakarai

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

January sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Vakarai weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 25°13614.711.65.8
Feb27° / 25°791011.76.4
Mar29° / 26°447.911.96.2
Apr30° / 27°6010.512.24.9
May32° / 28°53912.44.0
Jun33° / 28°203.812.53.9
Jul32° / 27°286.312.43.9
Aug32° / 27°388.412.33.9
Sep31° / 27°5911.5123.9
Oct30° / 26°17819.711.83.8
Nov28° / 25°29823.811.64.0
Dec27° / 25°27821.211.54.8

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24555
34654
44753
54753
64852
74951
84951
95050
104951
115050
125149
135149
145149
155248
165248
175248
185149
195149
205149
215149
225050
235050
245149
255050
265149
275050
285149
295050
305149
315248

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Vakarai gets around 136 mm of rain over 14.7 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 48% and peaks near 59% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
159
258
358
458
558
657
757
856
956
1055
1154
1253
1351
1450
1549
1647
1746
1844
1943
2042
2141
2240
2340
2440
2540
2640
2740
2841
2942
3042
3142

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 64% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 97% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1422704
2422704
3422704
4422704
5422713
6422713
7422713
8423703
9423712
10424702
11426682
12427672
13328672
14329671
15331651
16332641
17333631
18334621
19336601
20337591
21338581
22338581
23338581
24338581
25338581
26337591
27337591
28336601
29335611
30334621
31334621

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 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
218light breeze
318light breeze
418light breeze
518light breeze
618light breeze
718light breeze
818light breeze
918light breeze
1018light breeze
1118light breeze
1218light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of January to 11 h 36 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 6:21 AM to 6:28 AM, and sunset from 5:53 PM to 6:07 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:215:53
211.56:225:54
311.56:225:54
411.56:235:55
511.56:235:55
611.56:235:56
711.56:245:56
811.56:245:57
911.66:245:57
1011.66:255:58
1111.66:255:58
1211.66:255:59
1311.66:265:59
1411.66:266:00
1511.66:266:00
1611.66:266:01
1711.66:276:01
1811.66:276:02
1911.66:276:02
2011.66:276:03
2111.66:276:03
2211.66:286:03
2311.66:286:04
2411.66:286:04
2511.66:286:05
2611.66:286:05
2711.66:286:05
2811.66:286:06
2911.66:286:06
3011.66:286:07
3111.66:286:07

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.96 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.39 kWh/m² to a high of 6.66 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 4.96 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.6Bright
24.6Bright
34.6Bright
44.6Bright
54.7Bright
64.7Bright
74.7Bright
84.7Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.8Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Vakarai

In seasonPeak

In January, Vakarai sits inside its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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

Vakarai's monsoon runs October–January, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Vakarai?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Vakarai for sightseeing.

What to pack for Vakarai in January

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

In January, Vakarai sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 25°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 15 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Vakarai in January

The nearest coast averages about 27°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 21 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.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Vakarai in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Vakarai peaks around April 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeApr 20UV 14Dec 20UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May14Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Vakarai 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 Vakarai is worst in May — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 2122 µg/m³Nov 2114 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan16Moderate
Feb17Moderate
Mar16Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May22Moderate
Jun20Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Vakarai?

Vakarai sits at 8.1°N, 81.4°E, 9 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Eravur Town, 44 km away.

Eravur TownPolonnaruwaTrincomaleeBatticaloaSigiriyaDambullaKalmunaiAmpara

Topography around Vakarai

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Vakarai has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 11 m around an average of 2 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 125 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 658 m.

The land around Vakarai is covered by water (50%) and grassland (30%) within 3 km, water (49%) and trees (25%) within 16 km, and trees (38%) and water (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
11 m
16 km
125 m
80 km
658 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
January weather nearby: Eravur Town 44 km · Polonnaruwa 52 km · Trincomalee 54 km · Batticaloa 55 km · Sigiriya 78 km · Dambulla 91 km · Kalmunai 92 km · Ampara 97 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 Vakarai (8.1333°, 81.4333°, elevation 9 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).