Country guide
India weather by month
January and February are the clearest choices for beach weather in Goa and Kerala, with daytime temperatures around 31°C, nights at 22°C and the sea at 28°C. The catch is that warmth lasts through the wetter months too, so temperature alone is a poor guide to when to book. This coastal pattern should not be treated as a calendar for all of India: city trips elsewhere need a separate check of local conditions.
- Hottest month
- 31.9°CApril
- Coolest month
- 27.1°CJuly
- Warmest sea
- 29.7°CApril
- Destinations tracked
- 2warmest: Goa
India, month by month
A little perspective
India through the year
Country figures are the mean of the 2 destinations listed below; individual resorts can differ by several degrees.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarybest | 30.6°C | 21.6°C | 27.7°C | 7.9 | 5 | 1 | 100% |
| Februarybest | 31.2°C | 22.2°C | 28.0°C | 8.7 | 7 | 2 | 100% |
| March | 31.8°C | 24.0°C | 29.0°C | 8.1 | 23 | 5 | 100% |
| April | 31.9°C | 25.4°C | 29.7°C | 6.5 | 64 | 11 | 100% |
| May | 31.2°C | 26.0°C | 29.7°C | 4.0 | 180 | 17 | 100% |
| June | 28.1°C | 24.9°C | 28.5°C | 1.1 | 632 | 29 | 100% |
| July | 27.1°C | 24.3°C | 27.2°C | 0.6 | 753 | 31 | 98% |
| August | 27.1°C | 24.1°C | 26.7°C | 1.0 | 523 | 30 | 98% |
| September | 27.9°C | 24.1°C | 27.3°C | 2.0 | 292 | 25 | 100% |
| October | 29.0°C | 24.1°C | 28.3°C | 3.1 | 228 | 22 | 100% |
| November | 30.1°C | 23.5°C | 28.6°C | 4.9 | 98 | 11 | 100% |
| Decemberbest | 30.5°C | 22.3°C | 28.2°C | 6.6 | 29 | 4 | 100% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
When to go to India
Daytime highs average 25°C or more in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. The sea reaches a swimmable 22°C from January to December. Winter (December to February) averages 31°C by day - genuine winter sun. July is the wettest month (753 mm) and January the driest (5 mm).
Destinations in India
Each has a 12-month table; our most searched places have month-by-month detail pages.
Warmest place in India each month
| Month | Warmest destination | Day | Coolest destination | Day | Warmest sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Goa | 31°C | Kerala | 30°C | Kerala 28°C |
| February | Goa | 32°C | Kerala | 31°C | Kerala 29°C |
| March | Goa | 32°C | Kerala | 31°C | Kerala 29°C |
| April | Goa | 33°C | Kerala | 31°C | Kerala 30°C |
| May | Goa | 33°C | Kerala | 30°C | Kerala 30°C |
| June | Goa | 28°C | Kerala | 28°C | Goa 29°C |
| July | Kerala | 27°C | Goa | 27°C | Goa 28°C |
| August | Kerala | 27°C | Goa | 27°C | Goa 27°C |
| September | Goa | 28°C | Kerala | 28°C | Goa 27°C |
| October | Goa | 30°C | Kerala | 28°C | Goa 28°C |
| November | Goa | 32°C | Kerala | 29°C | Kerala 29°C |
| December | Goa | 32°C | Kerala | 29°C | Kerala 29°C |
December to March: the strongest beach window
January is the driest month, making it a sensible starting point if your priority is time outside without frequent rain interruptions. February stays similarly dry, while December and March each have 4 rain days, so they also suit beach-led holidays. March brings warmer nights and a warmer sea, but daytime heat already needs managing throughout this period. Plan longer walks and outdoor city time for the morning, leave room for a midday break and pack light clothing for evenings. Nights around 22°C in December, January and February offer some relief from the daytime heat without becoming genuinely cool.
April to November: rain changes the balance
April keeps the heat but raises rain days to 11, and May reaches 17, making these less straightforward choices for a beach-first trip. June marks a sharper shift: daytime temperatures ease to 28°C while rain occurs on 29 days. July and August are cooler still, but 30 rain days make flexible plans more useful than a full outdoor schedule. September remains wet, and October still has 22 rain days, so neither is a reliable dry-season substitute. November improves to 11 rain days with daytime temperatures of 30°C. Pack rain protection through this stretch and allow indoor alternatives rather than expecting uninterrupted beach weather.
Goa, Kerala and choosing beaches or cities
Goa is warmer overall, averaging about 30°C by day across the year, compared with about 29°C in Kerala. That is a modest difference, not a reason to expect Kerala to feel cool. For a beach holiday in either destination, the seasonal rise in rain matters more than this temperature gap. For city stays within these coastal regions, the drier months also make outdoor time easier, though midday heat remains a consideration. Elsewhere in India, do not carry these coastal expectations into your booking. The useful distinction here is between a warm, relatively dry coastal break and a warm trip that needs substantial flexibility for rain.
A little more detail
India weather FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
When is the best time to visit India?
Weighing warmth, low rainfall and sunshine across 2 destinations, the best months for India are January, February, December. April is the hottest month (average high 31.9°C) and July the coolest (27.1°C).
How many months is India over 25°C?
12 months average a daytime high of 25°C or more across our India destinations.
Which is the hottest place in India?
Over the year, Goa has the highest average daytime temperature of the 2 India destinations we track (30.3°C averaged across all months).
When is the sea warmest in Goa and Kerala?
Average sea temperatures peak at 30°C in April and May. That extra warmth comes with more rain than in January and February, so the warmest sea does not coincide with the strongest window for a dry beach holiday.
Are evenings cool enough to need warm clothing?
Average nights range from 22°C in the coolest months to 26°C in May, so light clothing is the sensible starting point for Goa and Kerala. These are warm coastal evenings, rather than a dependable chance to cool down fully after daytime heat.
Is July a good choice if I dislike intense heat?
July has a lower average daytime temperature of 27°C, but also 30 rain days. It may suit you better on temperature alone, yet it is a poor trade-off if you want dependable outdoor time or a holiday centred on the beach.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at 2 destination points.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C