Dec → Feb
29 to 31°
nights 24°
- 9 rainy days · 64 mm
- 10.8 h of sun
- sea 30°
When is the best time to visit Kerala?
- Jan30°recommended
- Feb31°recommended
- Mar31°recommended
- Apr31°fair
- May30°not recommended
- Jun28°not recommended
- Jul28°not recommended
- Aug28°not recommended
- Sep28°fair
- Oct28°recommended
- Nov29°recommended
- Dec29°recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Kerala, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 24° | 10.9 h | 84 mm | 8 d | 29° | ✓ |
| February | 31° | 24° | 11.4 h | 26 mm | 7 d | 30° | ✓ |
| March | 31° | 25° | 11.5 h | 61 mm | 14 d | 31° | ✓ |
| April | 31° | 25° | 11 h | 170 mm | 22 d | 31° | |
| May | 30° | 25° | 7.8 h | 618 mm | 29 d | 31° | |
| June | 28° | 25° | 6.5 h | 452 mm | 30 d | 29° | |
| July | 28° | 24° | 6.7 h | 456 mm | 30 d | 28° | |
| August | 28° | 24° | 7.4 h | 348 mm | 30 d | 27° | |
| September | 28° | 24° | 8.2 h | 347 mm | 29 d | 28° | |
| October | 28° | 24° | 8.2 h | 330 mm | 26 d | 29° | ✓ |
| November | 29° | 24° | 8.7 h | 221 mm | 22 d | 30° | ✓ |
| December | 29° | 24° | 10 h | 81 mm | 11 d | 30° | ✓ |
The four seasons in Kerala, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Kochi (Fort Kochi)) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Mar → May
30 to 31°
nights 25°
- 22 rainy days · 283 mm
- 10.1 h of sun
- sea 31°
Jun → Aug
28°
nights 24 to 25°
- 30 rainy days · 419 mm
- 6.9 h of sun
- sea 28°
Sep → Nov
28 to 29°
nights 24°
- 26 rainy days · 299 mm
- 8.4 h of sun
- sea 29°
Book early for October to March
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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What to do in Kerala, month by month
EventsPongalJanuaryThrissur PooramApril to MayOnamAugust to SeptemberMysore DasaraSeptember to OctoberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Beach & swimming: good conditions all twelve months.
Diving & snorkelling: good conditions all twelve months.
- Towns & culture: January, February, December
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Kerala, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- JanuaryPongal
Tamil Nadu celebrates the harvest in mid-January: rice boiled in milk until it overflows, decorated cows and kolams in front of doorways.
- April to MayThrissur Pooram big crowds
In Kerala, dozens of caparisoned elephants line up face to face in front of the Vadakkunnathan temple, before the fireworks.
- August to SeptemberOnam
Kerala carpets its doorsteps with flowers, serves the sadya on banana leaves and launches the snake boats on the backwaters.
- September to OctoberMysore Dasara big crowds
The palace is lit up for ten days and a procession of elephants crosses the city on the last evening of the festival.
Travelling off-peak
When to visit Kerala, region by region
A country's best time is an average, and it hides big differences. Here is what the records say for each area, month by month: ✓ for a recommended month, ~ for a fair one, a dot for a month to avoid. Hover over a cell for the temperature.
| Area | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇳 Kerala | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 🇮🇳 Tamil Nadu | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 🇮🇳 Karnataka (Mysore and Hampi) | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 🇮🇳 Fort Kochi | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ |
Month by month, in detail
January
Recommended30°24° at night
- 84 mm · 8 d
- 10.9 h
- sea 29°
High season, book early
February
Recommended31°24° at night
- 26 mm · 7 d
- 11.4 h
- sea 30°
High season, book early
March
Recommended31°25° at night
- 61 mm · 14 d
- 11.5 h
- sea 31°
Busy, without the crush
April
Fair31°25° at night
- 170 mm · 22 d
- 11 h
- sea 31°
Busy, without the crush
May
Not recommended30°25° at night
- 618 mm · 29 d
- 7.8 h
- sea 31°
Busy, without the crush
June
Not recommended28°25° at night
- 452 mm · 30 d
- 6.5 h
- sea 29°
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended28°24° at night
- 456 mm · 30 d
- 6.7 h
- sea 28°
Low season, lower prices
August
Not recommended28°24° at night
- 348 mm · 30 d
- 7.4 h
- sea 27°
Low season, lower prices
September
Fair28°24° at night
- 347 mm · 29 d
- 8.2 h
- sea 28°
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended28°24° at night
- 330 mm · 26 d
- 8.2 h
- sea 29°
High season, book early
November
Recommended29°24° at night
- 221 mm · 22 d
- 8.7 h
- sea 30°
Busy, without the crush
December
Recommended29°24° at night
- 81 mm · 11 d
- 10 h
- sea 30°
High season, book early
Read the twelve months in detail
January. 30 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (84 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.9 h a day on average. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
February. 31 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Rain stays light: 26 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.4 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
March. 31 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Frequent but light showers: 61 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.5 h a day on average. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
April. 31 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Frequent rain: 170 mm over 22 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11 h a day on average. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
May. 30 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 618 mm of rain over 29 days. Expect 7.8 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
June. 28 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 452 mm of rain over 30 days. Expect 6.5 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. 28 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. A very wet month, 456 mm of rain over 30 days. Expect 6.7 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 28 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. 28 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. A very wet month, 348 mm of rain over 30 days. Expect 7.4 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 27 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
September. 28 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 347 mm over 29 days. Expect 8.2 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 28 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
October. 28 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 330 mm over 26 days. Expect 8.2 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
November. 29 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 221 mm over 22 days. Expect 8.7 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
December. 29 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (81 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Kerala?
October to March: over these months, recorded highs range from 28 to 31 °C, with 15 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Kochi (Fort Kochi)).
Which month should you avoid in Kerala?
May: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 618 mm over 29 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Kochi (Fort Kochi)).
What is the hottest month in Kerala?
February, with 31 °C on average in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Kochi (Fort Kochi)).
What is the coldest month in Kerala?
June, with 28 °C at best during the day and 25 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Kochi (Fort Kochi)).
What is the driest month in Kerala?
February: 26 mm over 7 days of rain, against 618 mm in May, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Kerala?
March, with 11.5 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Kerala?
The water never drops below 22 °C: from 27 to 31 °C depending on the month (warmest in March), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Kochi (Fort Kochi)).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Kerala guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: Abhinav Sharma / Pexels · Stephen Leonardi / Pexels · Jerry LIANG / Pexels