Just north of the equator is the resort of Unawatuna, Sri Lanka. It is located on the southwest tip of
the island with the Laccadive Sea on one side and the Bay of
Bengal on the other. The area is famous for its white sandy beaches
and warm, crystal clear waters. Tourists also visit to enjoy the abundant
biodiversity of the area, including the corals, reefs, fish and turtles. More adventurous
types scuba dive deep and explore the areaâs sunken shipwrecks.Unawatuna is a holiday hotspot well worth going off the beaten track for.
Climate
The island has a hot and humid tropical climate. The islandâs weather is determined by the strong weather patterns dominated by two monsoon seasons. The humidity is almost always ranges from 70 percent to 100 percent. The main tourist season starts in December, when there is the least amount of rainfall during the Northwest monsoon season. The next season is from April to May, when there are light variable winds and heavy downpours with evening thunderstorms. In June, the winds pick up again, coming from the Southwest Indian Ocean. October brings with it the most amounts of rain and an increased chance for tropical cyclones to hit the island.
Northwest Monsoon Season
December is a month when tourists can start to spend a lot more time at the beach. The average temperature is a comfortable 26C, with an average daily high of 29C and low of 23C. The temperature of the seawater averages at 28C. Expect to 188mm of precipitation for the month, with an average of ten rainy days. The sun shines an average of 7 hours a day.
The mild weather continues into January, which can have the lowest average temperatures. The average temperature stays at 26C as well as the average daily temperatures of a high of 29C and low of 23C. Beachgoers will find the seawater at 28C. The rainfall average for the month decreases to 102mm with five rainy days. There will be another 7 hours of sunshine a day on average.
February is often the driest month of the year. The average temperature goes up slightly to 27C. The average daily high temperature is 30C and the low 23C. The seawater temperature remains constant at 28C. The monsoons ease up a bit, as the rainfall total for the month drops to an average of 88mm over a period of five rainy days. Visitors get to enjoy more of the sunshine that now averages 8 hours a day.
The last mild weather for this time of year happens in March. The average temperature moves up to 28C, with the average daily high temperature reaching 31C and the low 24C. Swimmers will find the water at the beach has gone up slightly to 29C. The average rainfall for the month is 133mm. Visitors will see seven days of precipitation. March generally has the most average sunshine of the year, with 8 hours a day.
Intermonsoonal Season
The winds start to shift by the first of April. The average temperature remains much the same at 28C. The average daily high temperature is 30C and the average daily low is 25C. April is the warmest month for anyone swimming at the coast, with the seas temperature getting up to 30C. Expect to see more heavy downpours. The rainfall total averages 228mm, and there is an average of eleven rainy days. The sun shines 7 hours on an average day.
The humid weather continues into May, which is often also the hottest month. The average daily temperature is 28C, with an average daily high of 30C and the low of 26C. The sea temperature along the beaches is 29C. The monsoons bring an average of 283mm of rain for the month, and thereâs precipitation an average of twelve days. All the cloud cover means the sun will only be out an average of 6 hours a day.
Southwest Monsoon Season
By June the winds shift once again, bringing with it monsoons from the southwest Indian Ocean. The average daily temperature drops a degree to 27C. The average high reaches 29C and the low 25C. The average sea temperature stays a tropical 28C. The wet weather is not as intense as May. There is an average of 174mm of rainfall and twelve rainy days for the month. The sun shines 6 hours daily on average.
The month of July brings much the same kind of weather pattern. The average daily temperature stays at 27C, as does the average high of 29C and low of 25C. Sea temperature also remains unchanged at 28C. The rainfall total drops slightly to 157mm with ten days of rain. Expect the sun to shine an average of 6 hours a day.
Tourists will find August another month of tropical conditions. The average temperature will be 27C. The average daily high will be 28C and the low 25C. It will still be excellent beach weather with the sea temperature at 28C. Rainfall for the month will total 161mm and there will be precipitation on ten days. Again, the sun will be out for a daily average of 6 hours.
September is a period of transition, as there are more downpours than the previous month. The average daily temperature will be 27C with a daily average high of 29C and low of 25C. Sea temperature will have a reading of 28C. The rainfall total increases to 211mm for the month with twelve rainy days. The sun will maintain its daily average of 6 hours.
Intermonsoonal Season
The heaviest downpours happen in October. The average daily temperatures reflect the constant heat of the tropics. The daily average will be 27C with an average high of 29C and low of 24C. The sea temperature remains constant at 28C. The rainfall total jumps to a monthly average of 343mm with fourteen days of rainy weather. The sun will average another 6 hours of daylight.
November will be another month of heavy precipitation. The daily average temperature drops one degree to 26C. The average daily high will be 29C and low 23C. Temperature of the seawater will be 29C. The downpours will still be intense with 308mm of average rainfall and the precipitation falling fourteen days. The sun will shine an average of 6 hours a day.