Weather in Colombo in May
May in Colombo is a hot month. Plan the serious walking for morning. The rest of the day wants shade and a slower pace.
In Sri Lanka, this is how Colombo actually wears May, not how a country centroid would. Compared with April and January, May sits in the middle of Colombo's year.
- Average temp
- 29°C
26–32°C
- Rainfall
- 314 mm
A wet month
- Sunshine
- 6.6 h
hours per day
What to expect
Daytime
Hot days in Colombo. Ruins, markets and hills are a morning job. Midday sightseeing is how people remember May for the wrong reason.
Nights stay warm. Air-con, if you can get it, is part of the brief. A jumper for May in Colombo is almost always a waste of bag space.
Rain
May is a wetter month in Colombo. Showers are part of the deal, not a spoiled surprise.
Waterproof shoes matter more than a rain plan for a beach, especially if a beach is not why you came. Build indoor hours into the afternoon.
Evening
Evenings stay warm.
What to pack
Sun protection
Rain jacket
Where to stay in Colombo
Dates are a starting point for May.
Travel guides for Colombo
What to read before you book.
Average weather in Colombo
TemperatureRainfall
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FAQs about Colombo
Climate averages for Colombo, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit Colombo is between December and March, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
May is the hottest month, with an average around 29°C.
October is the wettest month, with about 349 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
