Kerala
occupies a long (550km), narrow strip of land in the far south of India.
Its coastline is on the Arabian Sea ( part of the Indian Ocean) and its
eastern border with the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu is the top of the
majestic Western Ghat mountains. The landscape varies from long golden beaches
to cool hill stations and dense green jungle to bustling cities. Its unique
feature is the 1,900km of palm fringed backwaters.
The people of Kerala are warm and friendly and interaction with them is often a highlight of a holiday to Kerala. Keralites have a strong culture and are fiercely proud of their state. Some of their art forms (eg Kathakali and Theyyam) and martial arts (kalaripayattu) are unique.
Winter:
The winter season sets in during the month of December and continues till
end of February. During this season comparatively there is less rainfall
especially in the northern parts of the state.
Summer: Winter is followed by the summer season. Its tarts in February and continues till May. Temperature is very high during this period. Occasional showers with Lightning is a characteristic of this season. Kottayam receives the highest rainfall during this season.
South West Monsoon: The South West Monsoon begins either in the end of May or in the beginning of June and fades out by September. Moving towards north, this seems to gain intensity. During this period Peerumedu in Idukki and Vaithiri-Kuttiyadi range in Malabar receive the highest rainfall. The rainfall is comparatively low in the Lakshadweep islands. In the southern areas the monsoon is around 40-50% and in the northern areas it is around 80%.
North
East Monsoon: The NorthEast Monsoon commences in October, dry weather
setting in by the end of December. The Kanjirappalli-Peerumedu range and
Kuttiyadi area experience the abundance of NorthEast Monsoon. The northern
parts of the state account for a mere 10% of the annual rainfall.
Temperature: The annual range of temperature is comparatively low in Kerala. The coastal areas record a maximum temperature of 320c and a minimum of 220c.The interiors record a maximum of 370c during summer. In the coastal area it is hot and humid during April-May while cool during December-January.
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