Sri Lanka has a tropical climate with two distinctive seasons, wet and dry, with two monsoon seasons. The Yala season (mid- May to October) brings heavy rain from the Indian Ocean to the south and west coasts and the Central Highlands, whereas northern and eastern parts of the country are a little drier. The Maha season (December to March) brings rain from the Bay of Bengal and causes heavy rain in the northeast of the country. The average temperature throughout the country varies from 26-28°C, with 14-16°C in the Central Highlands. November to January are the cooler months, with February to May being the hottest.