Nuwara Eliya weather in December

December in Nuwara Eliya: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 19 rainy days.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Nuwara Eliya🇱🇰 Sri Lanka · Sri Lanka & the Maldives · Trekking82
  1. 86Jan
  2. 91Feb
  3. 87Mar
  4. 75Apr
  5. 68May
  6. 85Jun
  7. 80Jul
  8. 80Aug
  9. 78Sep
  10. 69Oct
  11. 67Nov
  12. 82Dec

#5 of 12 months in Nuwara Eliya · #407 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 82/100 (tier A)

Days
20°C
Nights
12°C
Wet days
19
Sun
9.1 h
Humidity
87%
Daylight
12 h
Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
Photo: Niroshan Chandana · Pexels

Traveller notes on Nuwara Eliya in December

Notes from nearby Colombo (103 km away)

Nuwara Eliya doesn't have its own notes for December yet — these are about Colombo, close enough to share the season.

Regulars are specific that early in this month can still carry some of November's unsettled weather, with conditions typically clearing by mid-month - the same window where holiday-season prices also climb, a real trade-off between weather and cost. Our row backs that hot, genuinely wet read, 31C reading as a hot 36C, over 24.3C nights, with a substantial 146.6mm of rain across 16.2 days and humidity at 82 percent. Regulars are consistent this counts among the cooler, less humid stretches of the year here even though Sri Lanka stays humid year-round by most other standards. The sea sits at a warm, swimmable 28.8C regardless of which half of the month a trip lands in. The record: 9.5 hours of sun, a 12.7 kph wind and AQI 74.
SkiesClearByMidMonthPricesClimbToo · December · 1 month ago · about Colombo · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya-forum threads on early May weather describe daytime readings as comfortably cool, typically high teens to low twenties, though a cloudy day can push things down toward fifteen. Regulars call this genuinely one of the more reliably damp stretches locally, real showers or thunderstorms likely on most days rather than the exception. Posters describe the town's reputation for persistently cool, moist conditions as well earned, though May specifically adds a heavier rain pattern on top of the usual chill. Regulars recommend real waterproof layers and proper boots given how muddy trails turn after a system, tea plantation walks especially prone to slick footing. Posters call nights genuinely brisk, typically dropping into single digits, a real jacket essential after dark. Regulars recommend flexible outdoor plans given how unpredictable timing runs. The record: 21.3C days feeling like 24C, 13.8C nights, an extraordinarily high 326.7mm across 29 days and 87 percent humidity.
NuwaraEliyaMayRegular · May · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Nuwara Eliya-forum threads on current weather describe this hill station as genuinely cold and damp by Sri Lankan standards, posters calling the nickname 'Little England' well earned given how consistently cool conditions run regardless of season. Regulars call March capable of a properly wet stretch, one visitor reporting rain through the first day and a half of a trip and recommending real waterproofs and an umbrella. Posters describe evenings as genuinely cold enough for gloves, a stark contrast to the tropical coast just a few hours' drive away. Regulars call layering essential regardless of forecast, conditions shifting with real speed given the elevation. Posters recommend the tea plantation walks and Victoria Park for a comfortable outing between showers. Regulars call the town's cooler climate a genuine highlight after time on the warmer coast. The record: 22C days feeling like 24C, 11.2C nights, an extraordinarily high 111.6mm across over 14 days and 79 percent humidity.
NuwaraEliyaMarchRegular · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Nuwara Eliya-forum threads asking how cold April actually runs describe daytime readings as generally pleasant, around twenty degrees Celsius, while nights drop considerably, commonly into the low double digits and sometimes lower on a clear stretch. Posters call this genuinely one of the cooler hill towns in Sri Lanka, a real contrast to the tropical heat most visitors experience at the coast. Regulars describe mist, drizzle and low cloud as standing features regardless of the specific month, worth expecting rather than treating as unusual. Posters recommend a proper jumper or light fleece for evenings. Regulars call April genuinely the local peak season given regional holidays, worth booking ahead. Posters recommend real layers given how much temperature swings across a single day. The record: 22.7C days feeling like a punishing 26C, 12.1C nights, an extraordinarily high 221.1mm across 20 days and 82 percent humidity.
NuwaraEliyaAprilRegular · April · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Nuwara Eliya-forum threads on September weather describe this hill town as genuinely cool given its elevation, a real contrast to the lowland heat elsewhere, and posters are consistent this stretch of the year runs wetter, drizzly stints entirely possible across a multi-day stay. One visitor touring in the late-August-into-September window reported a couple of hours of light drizzle rather than a full washout, suggesting shorter showers rather than sustained downpours. Regulars call mid-September a reasonable sweet spot within the broader wet season, conditions gradually starting to balance out compared to the peak of the pattern. A proper jacket is standing advice regardless of forecast, evenings running genuinely chilly year round given the elevation. Posters call the tea country scenery and cooler climate worth the rain risk. The record: 19.5C days feeling like 19C, 13.4C nights, an extraordinarily high 166mm across 26 days and 84 percent humidity.
NuwaraEliyaSeptemberRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Nuwara Eliya's card on the map.

Nuwara Eliya climate normals — December

Daytime high20°C / 68°F😎 nice
Nighttime low12°C / 53°F
Feels like (high)21°C / 70°F
Rainfall172 mm / 6.8 in⛈ soaked
Rainy days19 days
Humidity87%💦 very humid
Dew point13°C / 56°F
Sunshine9.1 h/day
Daylight11.7 h
Wind8 km/h / 5 mph
Air quality (US AQI)41🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Nuwara Eliya in December

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.

Peak crowdsAdam's Peak pilgrimage season, Christmas and New Year peak, Year-end break in Sri Lanka(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Nuwara Eliya'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).

Fair weatherNuwara Eliya's weather peaks January–March, best around February.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Nuwara Eliya in December

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Opening

    Adam's Peak pilgrimage season

    5 Dec – 10 May · usuallyCrowded

    From the December poya to Vesak the steps up Sri Pada are lit and the tea stalls on them are open, and pilgrims climb through the night. Outside the season it is dark, shut and slippery. Source ↗

  • Holiday

    Christmas and New Year peak

    20 Dec – 5 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

    The second of the town's two full fortnights, and the colonial-era hotels lean into it with log fires and set dinners. Book the train seats from Kandy weeks ahead or stand. Source ↗

What's on around the world in December →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Nuwara Eliya — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Nuwara Eliya?

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Nuwara Eliya in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Nuwara Eliya?
December in Nuwara Eliya: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 19 rainy days. It ranks #5 of 12 months for Nuwara Eliya on SeasonMap's comfort score (82/100).
What is the weather like in Nuwara Eliya in December?
In December, Nuwara Eliya averages a daily high of 19.8°C and a low of 11.8°C, with about 172 mm of rain over roughly 19.1 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Nuwara Eliya in December?
Nuwara Eliya has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 41 in December.

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.