Overview of Sri Lanka Weather
The tropical island nation of Sri Lanka lies just off the southern tip of India. Due to its location, the weather in Sri Lanka is largely influenced by the monsoon winds. The country experiences two monsoon seasons each year, the Northeast monsoon from December to March and the Southwest monsoon from May to October.
The Northeast monsoon brings with it heavy rains and strong winds, particularly to the northeastern and eastern parts of the country. This is the wetter of the two monsoon seasons, and can sometimes result in flooding.
The Southwest monsoon is not as intense as the Northeast monsoon, but still brings moderate rains and winds to the western and southern parts of the country. This is the drier of the two monsoons, but can still cause some flooding in areas that are particularly prone to it.
In between the two monsoons, there is a period of intermonsoon which lasts from April to May, and again from October to November. This is a transitional period when the rains start to lessen and the weather becomes more dry and sunny.
The best time to visit Sri Lanka is during the intermonsoon period from April to May, or from October to November. These months offer the best weather conditions for touring the country, with sunny days and little rain.
