Vavuniya weather in May

In May, Vavuniya sees average daytime highs of 34°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 75 mm of rain across 12.4 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 34°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% 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 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Vavuniya's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Vavuniya's year-round climate.

Daytime high
34°
5th warmest
Overnight low
26°
11th coldest
Rainfall
75 mm
12.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 24 min
5:52 AM – 6:16 PM
Cloud cover
71%
5th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.77 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.8
out of 10

Vavuniya is human settlement.

Density
2,674/km²
people per km²

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 34°C through the month.

A typical May day in Vavuniya reaches about 34°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°C and 36°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13426
23426
33426
43426
53426
63426
73426
83426
93426
103426
113426
123426
133426
143426
153426
163426
173426
183426
193426
203426
213426
223426
233426
243426
253426
263426
273426
283426
293426
303426
313426

How May really feels in Vavuniya

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
31 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
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.

Vavuniya weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 22°6910.211.55.4
Feb31° / 22°457.511.75.0
Mar33° / 23°447.311.93.6
Apr34° / 25°10215.212.22.6
May34° / 26°7512.412.42.8
Jun34° / 26°297.212.53.0
Jul34° / 26°458.612.52.9
Aug34° / 26°5810.312.32.9
Sep34° / 25°7211.612.12.9
Oct32° / 24°18920.211.83.0
Nov30° / 23°23422.911.63.5
Dec29° / 23°16318.311.54.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
23961
33961
43961
53763
63763
73763
83763
93763
103763
113763
123763
133763
143664
153664
163565
173565
183466
193466
203367
213268
223268
233169
243070
253070
263070
272971
282971
292971
302872
312872

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Vavuniya gets around 75 mm of rain over 12.4 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 40% and peaks near 53% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
153
253
353
452
551
650
749
848
946
1045
1143
1242
1340
1439
1537
1636
1735
1834
1933
2033
2133
2233
2333
2433
2533
2633
2733
2833
2933
3033
3133

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 59% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
13070
23070
33070
43070
53070
63070
73169
83268
93367
103466
113664
123763
133862
143961
154060
164159
174258
184357
194456
204555
214654
224753
234753
244852
254951
265050
275149
285347
295446
305644
315842

Wind in May

Winds average 16 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. Calmer and breezier days trade off through the month.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
412calm
512light breeze
612light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of May to 12 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:56 AM to 5:51 AM, and sunset from 6:14 PM to 6:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.35:566:14
212.35:566:14
312.35:556:14
412.35:556:15
512.35:556:15
612.35:556:15
712.35:546:15
812.45:546:15
912.45:546:15
1012.45:536:15
1112.45:536:15
1212.45:536:16
1312.45:536:16
1412.45:536:16
1512.45:526:16
1612.45:526:16
1712.45:526:16
1812.45:526:17
1912.45:526:17
2012.45:526:17
2112.45:526:17
2212.45:526:17
2312.45:526:18
2412.45:516:18
2512.45:516:18
2612.45:516:18
2712.55:516:18
2812.55:516:19
2912.55:516:19
3012.55:516:19
3112.55:516:19

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.77 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.84 kWh/m² to a high of 6.24 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.77 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.7Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Vavuniya

In seasonPeak

In May, Vavuniya sits inside its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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

Vavuniya'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 May a good time to visit Vavuniya?

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

2.8
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Vavuniya.

What to pack for Vavuniya in May

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

In May, Vavuniya sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Vavuniya 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 58 km away) is warmest in April at about 31°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
Apr31Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug28Tropical
Sep28Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Vavuniya 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 Vavuniya peaks around May 10 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 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 highMay 10UV 13Dec 22UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May14Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Vavuniya 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 Vavuniya is worst in May — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 1323 µg/m³Sep 1516 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar21Moderate
Apr22Moderate
May24Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov18Moderate
Dec19Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Vavuniya?

Vavuniya sits at 8.8°N, 80.5°E, 104 m above sea level, in Sri Lanka. The nearest listed city is Anuradhapura, 50 km away.

AnuradhapuraMullaittivuMannarTrincomaleeSigiriyaDambullaPolonnaruwaPuttalam

Topography around Vavuniya

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Vavuniya has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 29 m around an average of 96 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 169 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 732 m.

The land around Vavuniya is covered by trees (58%) within 3 km, trees (64%) within 16 km, and trees (61%) within 80 km.

3 km
29 m
16 km
169 m
80 km
732 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Anuradhapura 50 km · Mullaittivu 67 km · Mannar 73 km · Trincomalee 83 km · Sigiriya 93 km · Dambulla 101 km · Polonnaruwa 106 km · Puttalam 108 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 Vavuniya (8.7514°, 80.4971°, elevation 104 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).