Jaffna climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Jaffna?

Jaffna has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 27.5 °C and it receives 1,027 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Jaffna?

The hottest day measured in Jaffna between 1940 and 2025 was 17 May 2010, reaching 32.8 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Jaffna?

The coldest day measured in Jaffna between 1940 and 2025 was 8 December 2022, at 21.8 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Jaffna?

Almost never: Jaffna sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Q: Has the climate of Jaffna warmed?

Yes: Jaffna warmed by +1.0 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Jaffna?

The wettest day measured in Jaffna between 1940 and 2025 was 5 December 2020, with 256 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Jaffna?

The windiest day measured in Jaffna between 1940 and 2025 was 4 December 1993, with winds reaching 57.2 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Jaffna?

The warmest month in Jaffna is May (29.2 °C on average); the coldest is January (25.5 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Jaffna?

Jaffna receives on average 1,027 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 131 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Jaffna?

Jaffna gets on average 10.6 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,869 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Jaffna (Sri Lanka) has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 27.5 °C and it receives 1,027 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is May (29.2 °C on average) and the coldest is January (25.5 °C). Rainfall peaks in November.

Jaffna averages 0 frost days, 64 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 131 rainy days per year.

Jaffna has warmed by +1.0 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.12 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The hottest day of the period reached 32.8 °C (on 17 May 2010) and the coldest 21.8 °C (on 8 December 2022).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

JaffnaNorthern Province

coords: 9.67°, 80.01°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

AwTropical savannaWarmest monthMayColdest monthJanuaryWettest monthNovemberDriest monthMarch

Mean daily temperature

27.5°C

Average daily high

28.5°C

Average daily low

26.5°C

Annual rainfall

1,027mm

Sunshine / day

10.6h

Mean relative humidity

79%

Average peak wind

27.2km/h

Seasonal range

3.7°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

64 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

131 d/yr

Annual snowfall

0.0 cm

Average feels-like high

32.4 °C

Average feels-like low

29.0 °C

Average peak gust

39.2 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

365 d/yr

Solar radiation

20.4 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.0 °C

since 1940

+0.1 °C per decade · r² = 0.68 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

32.8 °C

17 May 2010

Coldest day

21.8 °C

8 December 2022

Wettest day

256 mm

5 December 2020

Windiest day

57.2 km/h

4 December 1993

Strongest gust

97.6 km/h

10 December 2005

Hottest feels-like

42.0 °C

26 April 2016

Coldest feels-like

19.4 °C

1 December 1984

Sunniest day

12.5 h

5 June 1947

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days
2025	32.2 °C14 May 2025	24.4 °C14 February 2025	28.1 °C	1,514 mm	117
2024	32.7 °C5 May 2024	24.1 °C28 November 2024	28.4 °C	1,556 mm	143
2023	31.5 °C23 April 2023	24.0 °C16 January 2023	28.0 °C	1,486 mm	103
2022	31.9 °C2 May 2022	21.8 °C8 December 2022	27.8 °C	1,405 mm	58
2021	31.4 °C14 May 2021	23.9 °C11 February 2021	27.9 °C	1,752 mm	89
2020	31.9 °C2 May 2020	24.4 °C27 January 2020	28.1 °C	1,299 mm	97
2019	31.8 °C18 April 2019	23.7 °C2 January 2019	28.1 °C	1,014 mm	114
2018	31.6 °C3 May 2018	23.9 °C4 February 2018	27.6 °C	1,149 mm	51
2017	31.5 °C31 March 2017	23.3 °C7 February 2017	28.0 °C	1,214 mm	122
2016	32.4 °C23 April 2016	22.0 °C1 December 2016	28.3 °C	764 mm	118
2015	31.5 °C15 August 2015	23.9 °C26 January 2015	27.9 °C	1,591 mm	93
2014	31.5 °C12 April 2014	23.2 °C5 January 2014	27.8 °C	1,560 mm	112
2013	32.0 °C29 April 2013	24.3 °C12 December 2013	27.8 °C	700 mm	83
2012	31.7 °C13 July 2012	23.1 °C18 January 2012	27.8 °C	849 mm	74
2011	30.9 °C6 April 2011	22.4 °C4 January 2011	27.7 °C	1,388 mm	83
2010	32.8 °C17 May 2010	23.7 °C6 December 2010	28.0 °C	1,439 mm	119
2009	31.2 °C10 May 2009	23.1 °C13 February 2009	27.8 °C	1,239 mm	63
2008	30.9 °C24 April 2008	23.4 °C19 January 2008	27.6 °C	1,557 mm	47
2007	31.8 °C2 May 2007	23.2 °C26 December 2007	27.6 °C	1,135 mm	72
2006	31.4 °C26 April 2006	23.0 °C21 January 2006	27.7 °C	985 mm	80
2005	31.4 °C8 May 2005	23.5 °C11 January 2005	27.8 °C	1,324 mm	96
2004	32.0 °C28 April 2004	22.9 °C29 February 2004	27.6 °C	1,368 mm	65
2003	31.4 °C6 April 2003	24.3 °C1 January 2003	27.8 °C	1,109 mm	97
2002	31.3 °C30 April 2002	23.5 °C15 January 2002	27.7 °C	986 mm	84
2001	31.6 °C11 May 2001	23.3 °C6 February 2001	27.7 °C	1,096 mm	77
2000	32.2 °C22 May 2000	23.0 °C23 January 2000	27.7 °C	998 mm	74
1999	31.3 °C10 April 1999	23.5 °C30 January 1999	27.4 °C	1,008 mm	28
1998	32.5 °C20 April 1998	24.1 °C15 January 1998	28.2 °C	1,073 mm	110
1997	31.7 °C18 July 1997	22.9 °C1 February 1997	27.7 °C	967 mm	102
1996	31.4 °C27 April 1996	23.6 °C14 March 1996	27.5 °C	1,058 mm	63
1995	31.1 °C22 April 1995	23.3 °C29 December 1995	27.6 °C	813 mm	56
1994	31.8 °C25 April 1994	23.7 °C31 January 1994	27.4 °C	800 mm	58
1993	31.9 °C10 May 1993	23.0 °C10 February 1993	27.5 °C	1,128 mm	73
1992	32.3 °C11 May 1992	23.5 °C8 February 1992	27.4 °C	667 mm	78
1991	31.8 °C17 April 1991	23.8 °C12 February 1991	27.8 °C	837 mm	95
1990	32.2 °C14 April 1990	22.4 °C14 January 1990	27.8 °C	797 mm	91
1989	31.8 °C30 April 1989	22.1 °C5 February 1989	27.4 °C	743 mm	61
1988	31.6 °C10 May 1988	23.5 °C7 February 1988	27.8 °C	756 mm	81
1987	32.0 °C7 June 1987	24.0 °C14 February 1987	27.9 °C	750 mm	109
1986	31.3 °C11 May 1986	23.3 °C2 February 1986	27.5 °C	865 mm	89
1985	31.8 °C27 April 1985	24.2 °C3 January 1985	27.6 °C	900 mm	66
1984	31.7 °C16 May 1984	22.3 °C1 December 1984	27.2 °C	1,466 mm	37
1983	31.8 °C10 May 1983	23.2 °C31 January 1983	27.8 °C	767 mm	115
1982	32.4 °C25 April 1982	23.5 °C12 January 1982	27.5 °C	585 mm	71
1981	31.6 °C27 May 1981	22.6 °C1 February 1981	27.4 °C	890 mm	69
1980	31.6 °C8 May 1980	23.3 °C28 January 1980	27.6 °C	659 mm	89
1979	32.4 °C30 April 1979	23.9 °C30 January 1979	27.6 °C	904 mm	89
1978	31.3 °C30 April 1978	23.0 °C19 January 1978	27.4 °C	868 mm	48
1977	31.1 °C14 April 1977	22.2 °C27 January 1977	27.2 °C	937 mm	27
1976	30.9 °C4 May 1976	22.4 °C26 February 1976	27.1 °C	781 mm	43
1975	31.4 °C19 April 1975	23.0 °C10 January 1975	27.1 °C	1,006 mm	47
1974	31.6 °C19 April 1974	22.6 °C5 February 1974	27.3 °C	470 mm	36
1973	31.9 °C2 May 1973	23.6 °C21 January 1973	27.5 °C	859 mm	68
1972	31.0 °C26 April 1972	22.9 °C6 February 1972	27.2 °C	984 mm	16
1971	31.5 °C3 May 1971	23.3 °C6 February 1971	27.1 °C	1,076 mm	23
1970	30.9 °C30 April 1970	23.5 °C2 February 1970	27.4 °C	876 mm	48
1969	31.8 °C17 April 1969	22.9 °C27 January 1969	27.5 °C	1,232 mm	64
1968	30.9 °C22 May 1968	22.7 °C15 February 1968	27.2 °C	953 mm	26
1967	31.6 °C8 May 1967	23.1 °C28 January 1967	27.2 °C	1,279 mm	49
1966	31.0 °C27 April 1966	23.8 °C1 January 1966	27.3 °C	1,145 mm	42
1965	30.5 °C8 April 1965	23.4 °C19 January 1965	27.0 °C	1,256 mm	9
1964	31.7 °C17 April 1964	23.4 °C15 January 1964	27.3 °C	875 mm	61
1963	31.5 °C10 May 1963	22.8 °C12 February 1963	27.1 °C	1,311 mm	42
1962	31.0 °C3 May 1962	23.5 °C17 January 1962	27.1 °C	1,032 mm	22
1961	31.4 °C14 May 1961	23.5 °C23 January 1961	27.1 °C	883 mm	26
1960	31.1 °C18 May 1960	23.1 °C19 November 1960	27.1 °C	936 mm	23
1959	31.9 °C10 May 1959	24.0 °C26 December 1959	27.4 °C	871 mm	52
1958	31.4 °C8 April 1958	24.0 °C5 February 1958	27.5 °C	991 mm	61
1957	31.8 °C9 May 1957	22.2 °C6 February 1957	27.2 °C	1,050 mm	38
1956	31.2 °C25 April 1956	22.4 °C18 February 1956	26.8 °C	860 mm	29
1955	31.6 °C15 April 1955	23.2 °C22 December 1955	26.9 °C	1,068 mm	21
1954	31.1 °C17 April 1954	22.9 °C29 December 1954	27.0 °C	1,116 mm	24
1953	32.0 °C29 April 1953	23.0 °C1 February 1953	27.5 °C	618 mm	80
1952	31.7 °C21 May 1952	23.7 °C13 December 1952	27.4 °C	260 mm	72
1951	31.8 °C16 May 1951	23.3 °C18 December 1951	27.4 °C	649 mm	56
1950	31.8 °C3 May 1950	23.2 °C1 February 1950	27.3 °C	166 mm	52
1949	31.3 °C16 April 1949	23.5 °C6 January 1949	27.2 °C	573 mm	28
1948	30.9 °C5 May 1948	23.7 °C21 January 1948	27.2 °C	1,186 mm	45
1947	30.9 °C15 May 1947	23.3 °C27 January 1947	27.2 °C	753 mm	32
1946	32.0 °C28 April 1946	22.9 °C26 January 1946	27.2 °C	1,203 mm	51
1945	31.6 °C2 May 1945	22.4 °C13 December 1945	27.3 °C	959 mm	44
1944	30.8 °C14 May 1944	23.0 °C12 December 1944	27.1 °C	1,481 mm	21
1943	31.0 °C15 May 1943	23.0 °C20 January 1943	26.7 °C	1,227 mm	15
1942	30.8 °C9 May 1942	23.6 °C12 January 1942	27.0 °C	1,104 mm	12
1941	31.5 °C29 April 1941	23.2 °C29 December 1941	27.3 °C	1,441 mm	47
1940	30.8 °C13 April 1940	22.9 °C6 January 1940	27.1 °C	1,115 mm	14

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

29.1 °C

+0.6 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

117 d/yr

+53

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Annual rainfall

1514 mm

+487 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	27.0 °C	+0.6 °C	102 mm	+42 mm
Feb	28.0 °C	+0.7 °C	39 mm	+13 mm
Mar	29.6 °C	+0.6 °C	56 mm	+32 mm
Apr	30.5 °C	+0.2 °C	48 mm	+4 mm
May	30.8 °C	+0.5 °C	66 mm	+12 mm
Jun	30.3 °C	+0.7 °C	13 mm	-13 mm
Jul	30.2 °C	+1.0 °C	46 mm	+9 mm
Aug	29.4 °C	+0.4 °C	53 mm	+9 mm
Sep	29.4 °C	+0.4 °C	73 mm	+7 mm
Oct	29.0 °C	+0.6 °C	259 mm	+71 mm
Nov	27.8 °C	+0.4 °C	615 mm	+338 mm
Dec	26.7 °C	+0.1 °C	144 mm	-38 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

32.2 °C

14 May 2025

Coldest day

24.4 °C

14 Feb 2025

Wettest day

155.7 mm

28 Nov 2025

Windiest day

54.1 km/h

28 Nov 2025

Strongest gust

78.5 km/h

28 Nov 2025

Hottest feels-like

40.8 °C

14 Apr 2025

Coldest feels-like

22.9 °C

30 Nov 2025

Sunniest day

12.3 h

6 Jun 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Jaffna?

Jaffna has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 27.5 °C and it receives 1,027 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Jaffna?

The hottest day measured in Jaffna between 1940 and 2025 was 17 May 2010, reaching 32.8 °C.

What is the coldest day in Jaffna?

The coldest day measured in Jaffna between 1940 and 2025 was 8 December 2022, at 21.8 °C.

Does it snow in Jaffna?

Almost never: Jaffna sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Has the climate of Jaffna warmed?

Yes: Jaffna warmed by +1.0 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Jaffna?

The wettest day measured in Jaffna between 1940 and 2025 was 5 December 2020, with 256 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Jaffna?

The windiest day measured in Jaffna between 1940 and 2025 was 4 December 1993, with winds reaching 57.2 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Jaffna?

The warmest month in Jaffna is May (29.2 °C on average); the coldest is January (25.5 °C).

How much does it rain in Jaffna?

Jaffna receives on average 1,027 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 131 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Jaffna?

Jaffna gets on average 10.6 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,869 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Are there tropical nights in Jaffna?

Yes: Jaffna has on average 365 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Jaffna?

In Jaffna, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 42.0 °C on 26 April 2016, and the lowest was 19.4 °C on 1 December 1984.

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