Kataragama climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Kataragama?

Kataragama has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 27.0 °C and it receives 1,176 mm of precipitation per year.

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

The hottest day measured in Kataragama between 1940 and 2025 was 11 July 1973, reaching 39.4 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Kataragama?

The coldest day measured in Kataragama between 1940 and 2025 was 22 January 1945, at 15.2 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Kataragama?

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

Q: Has the climate of Kataragama warmed?

Yes: Kataragama warmed by +1.2 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Kataragama?

The wettest day measured in Kataragama between 1940 and 2025 was 7 January 2011, with 199 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Kataragama?

The windiest day measured in Kataragama between 1940 and 2025 was 12 May 1956, with winds reaching 37.7 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Kataragama?

The warmest month in Kataragama is July (28.6 °C on average); the coldest is January (25.0 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Kataragama?

Kataragama receives on average 1,176 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 162 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Kataragama?

Kataragama gets on average 10.5 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,833 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Kataragama (Sri Lanka) has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 27.0 °C and it receives 1,176 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 July (28.6 °C on average) and the coldest is January (25.0 °C). Rainfall peaks in November.

Kataragama averages 0 frost days, 284 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 162 rainy days per year.

Kataragama has warmed by +1.2 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.14 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The hottest day of the period reached 39.4 °C (on 11 July 1973) and the coldest 15.2 °C (on 22 January 1945).

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

KataragamaUva Province

coords: 6.41°, 81.33°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

AwTropical savannaWarmest monthJulyColdest monthJanuaryWettest monthNovemberDriest monthJune

Mean daily temperature

27.0°C

Average daily high

32.2°C

Average daily low

23.3°C

Annual rainfall

1,176mm

Sunshine / day

10.5h

Mean relative humidity

75%

Average peak wind

17.3km/h

Seasonal range

3.6°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

284 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

162 d/yr

Annual snowfall

0.0 cm

Average feels-like high

35.8 °C

Average feels-like low

26.5 °C

Average peak gust

39.3 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

353 d/yr

Solar radiation

19.9 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.2 °C

since 1940

+0.1 °C per decade · r² = 0.48 · 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

39.4 °C

11 July 1973

Coldest day

15.2 °C

22 January 1945

Wettest day

199 mm

7 January 2011

Windiest day

37.7 km/h

12 May 1956

Strongest gust

80.6 km/h

24 June 1985

Hottest feels-like

43.8 °C

3 July 2016

Coldest feels-like

15.7 °C

22 January 1945

Sunniest day

12.4 h

2 June 1940

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days
2025	38.4 °C7 September 2025	19.5 °C10 February 2025	27.6 °C	1,642 mm	310
2024	38.2 °C21 July 2024	18.2 °C16 January 2024	27.8 °C	1,329 mm	333
2023	38.9 °C21 August 2023	18.9 °C11 January 2023	27.4 °C	1,998 mm	296
2022	37.7 °C1 July 2022	17.7 °C23 January 2022	27.2 °C	1,470 mm	319
2021	37.8 °C20 June 2021	19.2 °C27 January 2021	27.3 °C	1,253 mm	311
2020	38.2 °C5 October 2020	18.7 °C15 January 2020	27.9 °C	907 mm	342
2019	37.2 °C8 September 2019	19.3 °C5 January 2019	27.2 °C	1,315 mm	307
2018	38.2 °C8 September 2018	18.0 °C8 January 2018	26.9 °C	1,675 mm	296
2017	37.6 °C4 July 2017	18.2 °C9 January 2017	27.6 °C	1,099 mm	319
2016	38.7 °C3 July 2016	18.4 °C25 December 2016	28.0 °C	930 mm	336
2015	37.2 °C14 August 2015	17.3 °C18 February 2015	27.1 °C	1,787 mm	308
2014	37.8 °C25 July 2014	18.3 °C13 February 2014	27.5 °C	1,738 mm	297
2013	36.6 °C27 August 2013	18.1 °C17 January 2013	27.1 °C	1,326 mm	301
2012	38.2 °C11 July 2012	16.8 °C2 January 2012	27.2 °C	1,413 mm	297
2011	37.3 °C7 October 2011	17.5 °C13 January 2011	26.9 °C	1,941 mm	278
2010	38.2 °C1 August 2010	18.8 °C7 January 2010	27.3 °C	1,575 mm	296
2009	37.2 °C12 September 2009	18.0 °C2 January 2009	27.5 °C	1,110 mm	294
2008	37.8 °C18 September 2008	17.3 °C26 February 2008	26.9 °C	1,659 mm	286
2007	36.4 °C14 August 2007	18.1 °C23 January 2007	27.0 °C	1,164 mm	290
2006	37.4 °C24 July 2006	15.6 °C24 January 2006	27.1 °C	1,453 mm	272
2005	38.7 °C1 October 2005	17.7 °C16 February 2005	27.6 °C	1,007 mm	299
2004	37.8 °C22 August 2004	17.4 °C24 December 2004	27.4 °C	1,179 mm	302
2003	37.9 °C25 October 2003	18.7 °C2 January 2003	27.2 °C	1,103 mm	290
2002	37.4 °C12 September 2002	17.3 °C18 January 2002	27.4 °C	1,404 mm	299
2001	38.0 °C14 July 2001	16.6 °C12 February 2001	27.5 °C	957 mm	304
2000	37.7 °C24 October 2000	17.9 °C23 January 2000	26.8 °C	1,117 mm	265
1999	37.5 °C29 March 1999	17.6 °C31 January 1999	27.1 °C	1,083 mm	269
1998	38.8 °C13 July 1998	19.2 °C21 November 1998	28.0 °C	857 mm	316
1997	38.0 °C19 August 1997	18.6 °C7 January 1997	27.2 °C	1,397 mm	296
1996	37.9 °C7 August 1996	18.6 °C25 December 1996	27.3 °C	1,057 mm	309
1995	37.4 °C27 September 1995	16.9 °C13 February 1995	27.4 °C	949 mm	303
1994	37.0 °C30 June 1994	18.4 °C27 January 1994	26.7 °C	1,348 mm	228
1993	38.5 °C26 September 1993	16.9 °C9 February 1993	27.4 °C	1,150 mm	277
1992	39.0 °C7 April 1992	18.1 °C16 February 1992	27.4 °C	745 mm	299
1991	38.7 °C21 March 1991	17.2 °C18 February 1991	27.4 °C	909 mm	287
1990	38.2 °C8 September 1990	16.5 °C20 January 1990	27.4 °C	1,021 mm	312
1989	37.4 °C29 May 1989	16.9 °C12 February 1989	27.1 °C	860 mm	319
1988	37.7 °C16 October 1988	18.0 °C30 November 1988	27.3 °C	1,072 mm	301
1987	37.7 °C5 September 1987	19.1 °C2 February 1987	27.3 °C	1,303 mm	307
1986	37.8 °C23 June 1986	19.1 °C24 February 1986	27.2 °C	1,041 mm	306
1985	37.4 °C18 September 1985	19.4 °C8 January 1985	26.9 °C	1,209 mm	264
1984	38.3 °C13 August 1984	16.8 °C2 December 1984	26.7 °C	1,484 mm	257
1983	39.1 °C25 April 1983	18.5 °C19 February 1983	27.8 °C	776 mm	308
1982	38.2 °C4 April 1982	17.9 °C16 February 1982	27.2 °C	1,107 mm	291
1981	38.5 °C6 October 1981	17.2 °C8 December 1981	27.4 °C	935 mm	296
1980	38.5 °C4 July 1980	16.5 °C5 March 1980	27.6 °C	893 mm	306
1979	38.9 °C7 May 1979	18.8 °C13 January 1979	27.5 °C	1,277 mm	292
1978	38.0 °C6 October 1978	18.6 °C22 January 1978	26.8 °C	1,255 mm	281
1977	39.1 °C30 July 1977	16.9 °C18 January 1977	26.9 °C	1,416 mm	278
1976	39.2 °C23 September 1976	17.5 °C3 March 1976	27.2 °C	982 mm	301
1975	38.0 °C22 May 1975	17.2 °C13 January 1975	27.0 °C	989 mm	301
1974	38.0 °C22 October 1974	16.5 °C16 January 1974	26.9 °C	794 mm	310
1973	39.4 °C11 July 1973	17.8 °C10 November 1973	27.5 °C	1,116 mm	300
1972	38.2 °C18 July 1972	16.9 °C26 February 1972	27.1 °C	1,015 mm	302
1971	38.4 °C8 September 1971	17.5 °C20 January 1971	26.7 °C	1,101 mm	278
1970	37.8 °C20 August 1970	18.0 °C28 January 1970	26.9 °C	1,149 mm	268
1969	38.0 °C9 September 1969	18.6 °C22 February 1969	27.1 °C	1,248 mm	300
1968	37.4 °C18 June 1968	15.6 °C15 February 1968	26.6 °C	1,019 mm	277
1967	37.4 °C4 September 1967	16.4 °C10 February 1967	26.4 °C	1,174 mm	229
1966	37.2 °C26 July 1966	18.5 °C24 November 1966	26.7 °C	1,254 mm	259
1965	36.2 °C21 March 1965	18.3 °C16 December 1965	26.3 °C	1,397 mm	262
1964	37.4 °C3 September 1964	16.2 °C9 March 1964	26.5 °C	1,050 mm	242
1963	36.7 °C2 August 1963	17.8 °C17 February 1963	26.3 °C	1,605 mm	227
1962	36.6 °C4 October 1962	18.3 °C16 March 1962	26.4 °C	1,250 mm	240
1961	35.4 °C24 June 1961	19.1 °C9 March 1961	26.3 °C	1,067 mm	236
1960	37.4 °C10 October 1960	18.3 °C8 February 1960	26.5 °C	1,447 mm	222
1959	37.3 °C16 September 1959	18.5 °C25 February 1959	27.2 °C	962 mm	288
1958	37.0 °C15 September 1958	18.9 °C15 February 1958	26.7 °C	1,090 mm	258
1957	37.7 °C13 September 1957	17.8 °C10 February 1957	26.8 °C	1,309 mm	256
1956	37.0 °C25 April 1956	17.0 °C14 February 1956	26.6 °C	864 mm	266
1955	35.2 °C26 July 1955	18.4 °C18 February 1955	25.9 °C	1,230 mm	217
1954	35.5 °C12 July 1954	18.5 °C8 February 1954	26.0 °C	1,304 mm	217
1953	38.1 °C29 March 1953	17.3 °C31 January 1953	27.3 °C	746 mm	320
1952	38.3 °C17 September 1952	17.1 °C16 January 1952	27.4 °C	524 mm	332
1951	37.5 °C15 May 1951	18.0 °C4 February 1951	27.1 °C	984 mm	314
1950	37.2 °C29 September 1950	18.8 °C26 January 1950	27.3 °C	489 mm	355
1949	37.1 °C24 April 1949	18.0 °C25 February 1949	26.4 °C	662 mm	282
1948	36.7 °C11 September 1948	19.3 °C26 February 1948	26.5 °C	1,430 mm	255
1947	36.5 °C5 October 1947	18.4 °C13 February 1947	26.3 °C	1,217 mm	249
1946	37.2 °C18 September 1946	17.1 °C31 January 1946	26.4 °C	1,272 mm	254
1945	38.5 °C10 May 1945	15.2 °C22 January 1945	26.3 °C	1,052 mm	272
1944	35.6 °C26 August 1944	17.2 °C17 January 1944	25.8 °C	1,253 mm	209
1943	36.2 °C7 August 1943	18.4 °C20 January 1943	26.0 °C	1,014 mm	251
1942	35.4 °C12 July 1942	17.8 °C26 January 1942	25.8 °C	1,290 mm	211
1941	38.8 °C30 April 1941	16.5 °C12 December 1941	26.5 °C	993 mm	265
1940	36.3 °C20 August 1940	19.0 °C9 February 1940	26.3 °C	1,078 mm	259

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

32.5 °C

+0.3 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

310 d/yr

+26

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Annual rainfall

1642 mm

+466 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	28.6 °C	-0.9 °C	391 mm	+303 mm
Feb	31.6 °C	+0.5 °C	60 mm	+2 mm
Mar	31.5 °C	-1.1 °C	226 mm	+134 mm
Apr	31.9 °C	-0.7 °C	220 mm	+86 mm
May	32.2 °C	-0.8 °C	73 mm	-3 mm
Jun	33.8 °C	+0.1 °C	14 mm	-11 mm
Jul	35.2 °C	+1.0 °C	29 mm	+2 mm
Aug	35.7 °C	+1.5 °C	10 mm	-19 mm
Sep	36.0 °C	+2.0 °C	18 mm	-31 mm
Oct	32.9 °C	+0.7 °C	176 mm	-4 mm
Nov	30.7 °C	+0.8 °C	341 mm	+90 mm
Dec	30.1 °C	+1.0 °C	85 mm	-84 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

38.4 °C

7 Sep 2025

Coldest day

19.5 °C

10 Feb 2025

Wettest day

114.5 mm

17 Nov 2025

Windiest day

31.5 km/h

29 May 2025

Strongest gust

69.5 km/h

30 May 2025

Hottest feels-like

42.1 °C

20 Aug 2025

Coldest feels-like

20.8 °C

10 Feb 2025

Sunniest day

12.4 h

7 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 Kataragama?

Kataragama has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 27.0 °C and it receives 1,176 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Kataragama?

The hottest day measured in Kataragama between 1940 and 2025 was 11 July 1973, reaching 39.4 °C.

What is the coldest day in Kataragama?

The coldest day measured in Kataragama between 1940 and 2025 was 22 January 1945, at 15.2 °C.

Does it snow in Kataragama?

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

Has the climate of Kataragama warmed?

Yes: Kataragama warmed by +1.2 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Kataragama?

The wettest day measured in Kataragama between 1940 and 2025 was 7 January 2011, with 199 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Kataragama?

The windiest day measured in Kataragama between 1940 and 2025 was 12 May 1956, with winds reaching 37.7 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Kataragama?

The warmest month in Kataragama is July (28.6 °C on average); the coldest is January (25.0 °C).

How much does it rain in Kataragama?

Kataragama receives on average 1,176 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 162 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Kataragama?

Kataragama gets on average 10.5 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,833 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Are there tropical nights in Kataragama?

Yes: Kataragama has on average 353 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Kataragama?

In Kataragama, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 43.8 °C on 3 July 2016, and the lowest was 15.7 °C on 22 January 1945.

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