Dec → Feb
30 to 32°
nights 24°
- 9 rainy days · 62 mm
- 10.7 h of sun
- sea 30°
When is the best time to visit Kerala?
- Jan31°recommended
- Feb32°recommended
- Mar32°recommended
- Apr31°fair
- May30°not recommended
- Jun28°not recommended
- Jul28°not recommended
- Aug28°not recommended
- Sep28°not recommended
- Oct29°fair
- Nov29°recommended
- Dec30°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 | 31° | 24° | 10.9 h | 61 mm | 9 d | 30° | ✓ |
| February | 32° | 24° | 11.3 h | 25 mm | 7 d | 30° | ✓ |
| March | 32° | 25° | 11.5 h | 72 mm | 16 d | 31° | ✓ |
| April | 31° | 25° | 11 h | 178 mm | 26 d | 32° | |
| May | 30° | 25° | 7.9 h | 522 mm | 30 d | 31° | |
| June | 28° | 25° | 7.2 h | 360 mm | 29 d | 29° | |
| July | 28° | 25° | 7.6 h | 356 mm | 30 d | 28° | |
| August | 28° | 25° | 8.1 h | 282 mm | 29 d | 28° | |
| September | 28° | 24° | 8.6 h | 282 mm | 28 d | 29° | |
| October | 29° | 24° | 8.2 h | 285 mm | 27 d | 30° | |
| November | 29° | 24° | 8.5 h | 218 mm | 22 d | 30° | ✓ |
| December | 30° | 24° | 9.9 h | 99 mm | 11 d | 30° | ✓ |
The four seasons in Kerala, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Alleppey backwaters) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Mar → May
30 to 32°
nights 25°
- 24 rainy days · 257 mm
- 10.1 h of sun
- sea 31°
Jun → Aug
28°
nights 25°
- 29 rainy days · 333 mm
- 7.6 h of sun
- sea 28°
Sep → Nov
28 to 29°
nights 24°
- 26 rainy days · 262 mm
- 8.4 h of sun
- sea 30°
Book early for November 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
EventsTheyyam seasonDecember to MarchThrissur PooramApril to MayNehru Trophy Boat RaceAugustOnamAugust to SeptemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Beach & swimming: good conditions all twelve months.
Diving & snorkelling: good conditions all twelve months.
- Towns & culture: January, 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.
- December to MarchTheyyam season
In northern Kerala, costumed dancers embody the deities in front of village shrines, from December to March.
- April to MayThrissur Pooram big crowds
Elephants decked in gold face each other in front of the temple in Thrissur, beneath parasols swapped to the beat of the drums.
- AugustNehru Trophy Boat Race big crowds
Snake boats with more than a hundred rowers race on Punnamada Lake at Alappuzha, on the second Saturday of August.
- August to SeptemberOnam big crowds
Ten days of flower carpets, meals served on banana leaves and boat races, between late August and September.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Recommended31°24° at night
- 61 mm · 9 d
- 10.9 h
- sea 30°
High season, book early
February
Recommended32°24° at night
- 25 mm · 7 d
- 11.3 h
- sea 30°
High season, book early
March
Recommended32°25° at night
- 72 mm · 16 d
- 11.5 h
- sea 31°
Busy, without the crush
April
Fair31°25° at night
- 178 mm · 26 d
- 11 h
- sea 32°
Busy, without the crush
May
Not recommended30°25° at night
- 522 mm · 30 d
- 7.9 h
- sea 31°
Busy, without the crush
June
Not recommended28°25° at night
- 360 mm · 29 d
- 7.2 h
- sea 29°
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended28°25° at night
- 356 mm · 30 d
- 7.6 h
- sea 28°
Low season, lower prices
August
Not recommended28°25° at night
- 282 mm · 29 d
- 8.1 h
- sea 28°
Busy, without the crush
September
Not recommended28°24° at night
- 282 mm · 28 d
- 8.6 h
- sea 29°
Busy, without the crush
October
Fair29°24° at night
- 285 mm · 27 d
- 8.2 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
November
Recommended29°24° at night
- 218 mm · 22 d
- 8.5 h
- sea 30°
Busy, without the crush
December
Recommended30°24° at night
- 99 mm · 11 d
- 9.9 h
- sea 30°
High season, book early
Read the twelve months in detail
January. 31 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (61 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.9 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
February. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 24 °C at night. Rain stays light: 25 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.3 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
March. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 25 °C at night. Frequent but light showers: 72 mm over 16 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: 178 mm over 26 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11 h a day on average. The sea is at 32 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
May. 30 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 522 mm of rain over 30 days. Expect 7.9 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, 360 mm of rain over 29 days. Expect 7.2 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 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 356 mm of rain over 30 days. Expect 7.6 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 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 282 mm of rain over 29 days. Expect 8.1 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 28 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
September. 28 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. A very wet month, 282 mm of rain over 28 days. Expect 8.6 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
October. 29 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 285 mm over 27 days. Expect 8.2 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. 29 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 218 mm over 22 days. Expect 8.5 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
December. 30 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (99 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.9 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?
November to March: over these months, recorded highs range from 29 to 32 °C, with 13 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Alleppey backwaters).
Which month should you avoid in Kerala?
May: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 522 mm over 30 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Alleppey backwaters).
What is the hottest month in Kerala?
February, with 32 °C on average in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Alleppey backwaters).
What is the coldest month in Kerala?
June, with 28 °C at best during the day and 25 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Alleppey backwaters).
What is the driest month in Kerala?
February: 25 mm over 7 days of rain, against 522 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 28 to 32 °C depending on the month (warmest in April), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Alleppey backwaters).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Kerala guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Kerala: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: iMahesh / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Maria Charizani / Pexels