Weligama weather in January
January in Weligama: sweltering, rainy, with muggy air — fine if you can take 36°C afternoons.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#3 of 12 months in Weligama · #409 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 83/100 (tier A)
- Days
- 30°C
- Nights
- 24°C
- Wet days
- 16
- Sun
- 9.9 h
- Humidity
- 83%
- Daylight
- 12 h
Traveller notes on Weligama in January
Notes from nearby Mirissa (4 km away)
Weligama doesn't have its own notes for January yet — these are about Mirissa, close enough to share the season.
January is the start of the good half of Mirissa's whale season: the south coast runs November to May, and regulars say sightings improve into January and February, which is the window they name for blue whales. Two practical points come with it. The boats leave early - reporting around half past six for a seven o'clock start, three and a half to four hours out - which is the reason to stay in Mirissa rather than Galle or Colombo. And the weather is not settled at the turn of the year: rain can hang on into mid-January, with the first half of the day the reliable part on this coast. Our row's 133.8mm across 16.3 days is that. The record: 30C days that feel like 36C, 23.8C nights, humidity 82 percent and a 27.6C sea.
Other months in Weligama
Sri Lanka's forum notes the southwest monsoon runs May through September, and while some posters described August days as sunny with just the odd late-afternoon shower, the bigger practical issue for Weligama and the rest of the south coast is the sea itself - monsoon swell makes the water genuinely unsafe for swimming outside a handful of reef-protected spots like Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna. Weligama specifically also gets a mention for having murkier water than neighboring beaches due to a nearby river mouth, regardless of season. Despite the rough seas, posters said the town stays lively as a secondary August high season.
Forum posters name November through April as the dry season on this stretch of Sri Lanka's south coast, with February squarely inside it - sunny conditions and calm, clear seas are the norm, good for the area's famous beginner-friendly surf breaks. Posters describe Weligama itself as more of a surf town, while nearby Mirissa offers a reef-protected, calmer swimming option for anyone less interested in the waves - both Weligama and neighboring Ahangama and Midigama stay in surf season through April. Posters consistently recommend the area for beginner surf lessons specifically, with plenty of surf schools and instructors offering both group and one-on-one sessions.
Add your own note from Weligama's card on the map.
Weligama climate normals — January
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Weligama in January
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.
BusyYear-end break in Sri Lanka, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Weligama'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).
Best weatherWeligama's weather peaks January–March, best around February.
January includes Blue whale season off Mirissa.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Weligama in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Northeast monsoon surf season
15 Oct – 1 May · usuallyBook earlyLight offshore winds and small, forgiving waves settle over Weligama Bay from late October to early May, the reason the town became Sri Lanka's beginner surf capital. Board-rental shacks and surf camps run at full capacity through the December-January peak. Source ↗
- Nature
Blue whale season off Mirissa
1 Nov – 30 Apr · usuallyBlue whales work a deep-water canyon a short boat ride from Weligama beach from November to April, with sighting rates of 80-90 percent on calm days during the December-February peak. The southwest monsoon shuts the boats down entirely from June to October. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Weligama — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Weligama?
Weligama in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Weligama?
- January in Weligama: sweltering, rainy, with muggy air — fine if you can take 36°C afternoons. It ranks #3 of 12 months for Weligama on SeasonMap's comfort score (83/100).
- What is the weather like in Weligama in January?
- In January, Weligama averages a daily high of 29.8°C and a low of 23.8°C, with about 133.8 mm of rain over roughly 16.3 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Weligama in January?
- Weligama has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 66 in January.
Within 300 km: Mirissa's Blue whale season on 1 Nov – 15 Apr, and Nuwara Eliya's Adam's Peak pilgrimage season around 5 Dec – 10 May.