When to go · Colombo
Colombo in August
Mixed month. Showers; drier than June.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C) / 25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 14
- Crowds
- High
- Sri Lanka overall
- Prices
- High
- Sri Lanka overall
Verdict
Showers; drier than June.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than August?
August is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in August
- ColomboHighs around 29 °C (84 °F), lows around 25 °C (77 °F), rain on about 14 daysHighs around 84 °F (29 °C), lows around 77 °F (25 °C), rain on about 14 days
- West and south coast, Sri Lanka · Colombo, Negombo, Bentota, Galle, Mirissafine
South-west monsoon May–Sep brings rough seas and red flags; October–November inter-monsoon storms are heavy in Colombo.
South-west monsoon season
Heavy, frequent rain; the east coast is drier in this window if you are combining regions.
Watch: Flooded streets after storms; rough seas.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Kandy Esala Perahera big impact
Jul–Aug (10 nights, check dates) · Sri Lanka
Night processions of elephants and dancers; Kandy beds triple in price and sell out.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Sri Lanka overall
- High
- Prices · Sri Lanka overall
- High
Sri Lanka overall: East and north dry; Kandy Perahera and Jaffna's Nallur festival.
High-price month: see what to book ahead.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Colombo, side by side.
Verdict
Aug: Mixed
Jan: Great (better)
Daytime high
Aug: 29 °C (84 °F)84 °F (29 °C)
Jan: 30 °C (86 °F)86 °F (30 °C)
Night low
Aug: 25 °C (77 °F)77 °F (25 °C)
Jan: 23 °C (73 °F)73 °F (23 °C)
Rain days
Aug: 14
Jan: 6 (better)
Crowds
Aug: High
Jan: High
Prices
Aug: High
Jan: High
Festivals listed
Aug: 1
Jan: 2
August: Showers; drier than June.
January: Driest and coolest month for the west coast; warm all the same.
Colombo: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast