Anuradhapura weather in November
November in Anuradhapura: sweltering, soaked, with clean air — not the time — 24 rainy days.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#12 of 12 months in Anuradhapura · #1305 of 1413 destinations to visit in November · comfort 47/100 (tier F)
- Days
- 31°C
- Nights
- 24°C
- Wet days
- 24
- Sun
- 7.7 h
- Humidity
- 87%
- Daylight
- 12 h

Traveller notes on Anuradhapura in November
Other months in Anuradhapura
Forum posters describe August as generally sunny across Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle, where Anuradhapura sits, with mornings typically clear and just an occasional late-afternoon or evening shower. Posters recommend basing in nearby Habarana for day trips covering Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla and Sigiriya, describing the region as reliably warm and sunny this time of year. Posters are direct that this favorable Cultural Triangle pattern contrasts with the southwest monsoon (May-September) affecting Sri Lanka's south and west coasts, including Colombo and Galle, where posters instead recommend the east coast (Trincomalee, Pasikuda, Arugam Bay) as the better beach alternative during the same window. Posters generally rate August as a genuinely good time for Anuradhapura and the wider Cultural Triangle, distinctly better than the monsoon-affected southwest coast at the same time of year.
Forum posters call February one of Sri Lanka's driest and sunniest months island-wide, though they're careful to add that rain isn't unheard of even in the best months and can turn up unpredictably. For visiting the ancient city itself, posters recommend timing around the heat rather than the rain - early morning and after 4pm are named as the most comfortable windows for walking the ruins, with midday best avoided regardless of season. One scheduling tip specific to the site: checking the Poya (full moon) calendar and avoiding those days, since local pilgrims flock to the sacred sites in much larger numbers than usual.
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Anuradhapura climate normals — November
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Anuradhapura in November
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusyPoya days(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Anuradhapura's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherAnuradhapura's best weather comes in January, February and June — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Anuradhapura in November
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Rule
Poya days
1 Jan – 31 DecClosuresCrowdedEvery full moon is a civil holiday: shops shut and the sale of alcohol and meat is prohibited islandwide. Thirteen or fourteen a year, and the sacred city is at its fullest of white-clad pilgrims on each of them. Source ↗
- Season
Wet season
MonsoonRisk24 rainy days and about 332 mm in the month — the real kind of rainy season, not afternoon showers.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Anuradhapura — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Anuradhapura?
Anuradhapura in November — FAQ
- Is November a good time to visit Anuradhapura?
- November in Anuradhapura: sweltering, soaked, with clean air — not the time — 24 rainy days. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Anuradhapura on SeasonMap's comfort score (47/100).
- What is the weather like in Anuradhapura in November?
- In November, Anuradhapura averages a daily high of 31°C and a low of 23.6°C, with about 331.9 mm of rain over roughly 23.6 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Anuradhapura in November?
- Anuradhapura has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 32 in November.
Within 300 km: Colombo's Blue whales off Mirissa around 1 Nov – 15 Apr, and Mirissa's Blue whale season on 1 Nov – 15 Apr.