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Colombo in January: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Take a look at past year’s weather for Colombo in January and see if it is worth visiting.
Check flight prices to Colombo on Avionero:
January

Weather in Colombo in January 2025

Good Weather
Hot
☁️
Cloudy
Planning a trip to Colombo in January? You are in luck! The weather is generally good, with an average maximum temperature of +31°C and approximately 6 sunny days. Just be prepared for some rain, as there are usually around 6 rainy days and 62 mm of precipitation. Expect good weather and pack accordingly to enjoy the outdoors. Search flights in one click on Avionero.
Good to know:
  • January is usually the driest month of the year in Colombo

Average weather

☀️
+31°C
Avg. max. temperature
+20°C
Min.
+36°C
Max.
62 mm
Total precipitation
75%
Avg. humidity
2 m/s
Avg. wind
6 ☀️
Sunny Days
19 ⛅️
Cloudy
6 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Colombo has good weather in January.

Average temperature in Colombo in January

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Colombo for January based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

Going from a maximum of +33°C during the day to a minimum of +22°C during the night, the temperature in January averages around +31°C.

The average maximum temperature goes down 9% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +32°C to +31°C.

Is Colombo warm or cold in January?

Colombo is typically hot in January.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +30°C to +31°C. The minimum temperature also goes up from +24°C to +23°C.

Make sure that you pack your summer linen and swimming costumes; it’s probably going to be hot.

Take a look at how January is compared to other months in Colombo:

Climate in Colombo in January

Colombo weather looks like this, on average, in January and the surrounding months.
DecemberJanuaryFebruary
Avg. temperature
+30°C+31°C+31°C
Min. temperature
+20°C+20°C+20°C
Max. temperature
+34°C+36°C+36°C
Rainfall
159 mm62 mm59 mm
Wind
2 m/s2 m/s1 m/s
Humidity
80%75%75%
Air pressure
1009 HPa1010 HPa1009 HPa
Sunny days
466
Cloudy days
151917
Rainy days
1265
Snowy days
000

January often has better weather than December. It’s getting warmer as January arrives. The average maximum temperature goes up from +30°C to +31°C during the day. As January arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 159 mm to 62 mm. It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 80% to 75%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during January, staying around 2 m/s. The good news is there are likely to be more sunny days in January, from 4 to 6.

February brings much the same weather, it remains good.

Wind

Wind speed in Colombo in January based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 3 m/s getting up to 6 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Colombo is gradually decreasing during January, going from 3 m/s to 1 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during January in Colombo based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 32% chance of rain on an average day in January, with total rainfall of approximately 22 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 6 mm, which is considered light rain. January is a pretty wet month with over 10 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of galoshes.
Here’s how January is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Colombo wettest month is October, where a typical day has a 68% chance of precipitation and 295 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 17% chance of precipitation and 59 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last January in Colombo?

This is the weather in Colombo in January 2023:
1 January
☀️
+32°C
2 January
☁️
+31°C
3 January
🌧️
+30°C
4 January
☁️
+31°C
5 January
☁️
+30°C
6 January
☁️
+32°C
7 January
☁️
+31°C
8 January
☁️
+32°C
9 January
🌧️
+31°C
10 January
☁️
+31°C
11 January
☀️
+31°C
12 January
☁️
+31°C
13 January
☁️
+32°C
14 January
☀️
+31°C
15 January
☁️
+31°C
16 January
☁️
+32°C
17 January
☀️
+33°C
18 January
☁️
+33°C
19 January
☁️
+33°C
20 January
☁️
+33°C
21 January
☁️
+33°C
22 January
☁️
+31°C
23 January
☁️
+31°C
24 January
☁️
+30°C
25 January
☁️
+30°C
26 January
☁️
+29°C
27 January
☁️
+32°C
28 January
☁️
+32°C
29 January
☁️
+32°C
30 January
☁️
+31°C
31 January
🌧️
+31°C
In January 2023 Colombo had 4 sunny days, 24 cloudy days, and 3 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +31°C, with an absolute maximum of +33°C and a minimum of +29°C. The average humidity was 76%, with a maximum of 93% and a minimum of 40%. The average wind speed was 3 m/s, with a maximum of 7 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in January?

Climate Change over Years

This is how Colombo climate have been changing during last 43 years period.

The climate in Colombo in January has not changed much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1986 (+30°C) and the highest in 2020 (+33°C). The driest year was 1993 with only 6 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 1984 with 207 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Colombo in January:

Is January a good time to visit Colombo?

January is a really good time to go to Colombo. The weather is nice so plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring. Check out other good time to visit Colombo.

Can you sunbathe in Colombo in January?

Absolutely, January is hot in Colombo. Plan on beach and pool time, and ensure that you pack light and breathable options to stay comfortable.

Is Colombo rainy in January?

Colombo is often rainy in January. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.

Is it sunny in Colombo in January?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Colombo in January, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Monthly weather in Colombo

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Colombo, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.