Maldives weather by month

you'll see by the chart below, the weather in the Maldives tends to be nearly identical regardless of the month. The days are always quite warm and at least somewhat humid, and the nights are always reasonably warm and a bit balmy.

Unlike many other tropical destinations, the Maldives has two different “monsoon” periods each year, but neither are known for dramatic weather or flooding, so the differences are rather subtle. Even during the non-monsoon periods there will be some infrequent rainfall, so the overall consistency is what is most striking for the potential visitor. The best times to visit the Maldives really depend on your goals and almost the entire year is a good time if you can make it.

Maldives monthly temperature averages and rainfall

January

High: 30°C/86°F
Low: 25°C/77°F
Rain: 76mm/3″

February

High: 30°C/86°F
Low: 26°C/78°F
Rain: 51mm/2″

March

High: 31°C/88°F
Low: 26°C/78°F
Rain: 74mm/2.9″

April

High: 31°C/88°F
Low: 26°C/79°F
Rain: 132mm/5.2″

May

High: 31°C/87°F
Low: 26°C/79°F
Rain: 216mm/8.5″

June

High: 30°C/86°F
Low: 26°C/78°F
Rain: 173mm/6.8″

July

High: 30°C/86°F
Low: 26°C/78°F
Rain: 147mm/5.8″

August

High: 30°C/86°F
Low: 25°C/77°F
Rain: 188mm/7.4″

September

High: 30°C/86°F
Low: 25°C/77°F
Rain: 244mm/9.6″

October

High: 30°C/86°F
Low: 25°C/77°F
Rain: 221mm/8.7″

November

High: 30°C/86°F
Low: 25°C/77°F
Rain: 201mm/7.9″

December

High: 29°C/85°F
Low: 25°C/77°F
Rain: 231mm/9.1″

Dry season and wet season

The dry season in the Maldives typically runs from mid December through early May, but the beginning and ending times do change a bit between one year and the next. The Northeast Monsoon season actually occurs between November and March, but of course most of this is during “dry season” so it’s no surprise that the monsoon rarely amounts to anything more than a quick downpour a couple times a week.

The rainy season in the Maldives runs from early May through mid December, with the Southwest Monsoon season officially being July and August. Again, the rainfall totals don’t actually vary much, and the chances of a major storm are almost zero. The Maldives water villas are all built very well and specifically to comfortably handle normal conditions in the area.

Olhuveli Resort Maldives

Cloudbursts and sunshine

Typical of the tropics, when it rains in the Maldives it tends to come down heavily for a short time and then clear up just as quickly. Even during the “dry season” it’s not uncommon for it to be a sunny morning and then have thick clouds roll in after noon, with 30 minutes of heavy showers after that, and then a clear evening.

During the rainy season it tends to rain a bit more at night, which means that the actual daytime rain that visitors see is even more consistent than it first appears. Even during the rainy season it’s rare to have more than a few cloudy days per week, so it would be very bad luck to see much gray during an average holiday.

Humidity

It will be relatively humid all year in the Maldives, and those coming from a cold climate might feel slightly uncomfortable for the first day or so, but nearly everyone enjoys that special tropical feeling after that. Also, the temperature itself never strays much above the averages, so even the high humidity is never unbearable like it can be in Mediterranean Europe.

Winds

Being strung through a large portion of the Indian Ocean, there will be steady winds crossing through your Maldives resort pretty much at all times. The wind can change direction, but it’s almost never still, so even on hot days you’ll be cooled down by the breeze.

This steady breeze is yet another reason to choose a water villa instead of a beach villa if you can. Most of them have private terraces on two or more edges, which means you’ll always have access to the breeze if you like, something not always true of the island rooms.

Source: Weather.com

Top photo courtesy of thadu83 on Flickr