Vakarai weather in May

In May, Vakarai sees average daytime highs of 32°C and overnight lows near 28°C, with 53 mm of rain across 9 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of May to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Vakarai's 5th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Vakarai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
4th warmest
Overnight low
28°
12th coldest
Rainfall
53 mm
9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 24 min
5:49 AM – 6:12 PM
Cloud cover
65%
5th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
6.43 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.0
out of 10

Vakarai is town in Sri Lanka.

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month.

A typical May day in Vakarai reaches about 32°C in the afternoon and slips back to 28°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 30°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C warmer than April and on par with June.

25°28°30°33°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13127
23127
33127
43127
53127
63127
73127
83227
93227
103228
113228
123228
133228
143228
153228
163228
173228
183228
193228
203228
213228
223228
233228
243228
253228
263228
273328
283328
293328
303328
313328

How May really feels in Vakarai

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

Vakarai weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 8th-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 May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24753
34654
44654
54555
64456
74357
84258
94159
104159
114060
124060
134060
143961
153862
163862
173862
183862
193763
203664
213664
223664
233763
243664
253664
263664
273664
283565
293466
303367
313268

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Vakarai gets around 53 mm of rain over 9 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 28% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
137
237
337
437
537
637
736
836
935
1034
1133
1231
1330
1428
1527
1626
1725
1824
1923
2023
2122
2222
2322
2422
2522
2622
2722
2822
2922
3022
3122

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 64% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11486
21486
31486
41585
51684
61783
71882
82080
92278
102377
112575
122773
132971
143169
153268
163466
173664
183862
194060
204258
214456
224654
234852
245050
255248
265446
275644
285941
296139
306337
316634

Wind in May

Winds average 16 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 13 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
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2920light breeze
3020light breeze
3120breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of May to 12 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:53 AM to 5:49 AM, and sunset from 6:10 PM to 6:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.35:536:10
212.35:536:10
312.35:526:10
412.35:526:10
512.35:526:10
612.35:516:10
712.35:516:10
812.35:516:11
912.35:516:11
1012.35:516:11
1112.35:506:11
1212.35:506:11
1312.45:506:11
1412.45:506:11
1512.45:506:11
1612.45:496:12
1712.45:496:12
1812.45:496:12
1912.45:496:12
2012.45:496:12
2112.45:496:13
2212.45:496:13
2312.45:496:13
2412.45:496:13
2512.45:496:13
2612.45:496:14
2712.45:496:14
2812.45:496:14
2912.45:496:14
3012.45:496:14
3112.45:496:15

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.43 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 — May's 6.43 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.6Intense
26.5Intense
36.5Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.4Intense
126.4Intense
136.4Intense
146.4Intense
156.4Intense
166.4Intense
176.4Intense
186.4Intense
196.4Intense
206.4Intense
216.4Intense
226.4Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Vakarai

In seasonPeak

In May, Vakarai sits inside its cyclone 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 May a good time to visit Vakarai?

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

4.0
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Vakarai in May

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

In May, Vakarai sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 28°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Vakarai in May

The nearest coast averages about 30°C in May — 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 May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 14 (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 May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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