Sunshine and Showers in the Maldives
A visit to the Maldives is going to leave you breathless with wonder at the beauty of the islands no matter when you go.
However, if you are looking for uninterrupted spells of sunshine in this tropical paradise there are certain times of the year that are better than others for visiting these gems of the Indian Ocean.
The 1190 coral reef islands that make up the Maldives stretch 820km from north to south across the equatorial belt.
Their unique location on the equator gives them a year round tropical climate with very few variations in daily temperature throughout the year.
On average, daily temperatures reach around 30°C (86°F) during the day and can fall to low 20°Cs (low 70°Fs) during monsoon months.
The hottest month is April, the coldest (though still warm) is December, whilst September sees the most rainfall.
As the Maldives spans a considerable distance across the equatorial belt, you can experience quite significant differences in the weather depending on where you are.
The South Atoll has more rainfall, whereas the North Atoll experiences a drier warmer climate.
Changes in the Maldives weather are determined by the two distinct monsoon seasons.
The dry season, Iruvai, is brought by the northeast monsoon and brings clear blue skies, lower humidity and little rain.
The wet season, the Hulhangu, is brought by the southeast monsoon and brings cloudy skies, heavy rain, strong winds and rough seas.
However, these rainy spells can be short and sharp and are interspersed with long periods of warm sunshine.
The dry season runs from January to March, with the change to the wet season in April.
The wet season then runs from May to November with the change back to the dry season in December.
May to October are known as bringing the wettest weather to the islands.
Making the months of the dry season a firm favourite with holidaymakers looking to find guaranteed winter sun.
Another feature of the Maldives weather are the humidity levels.
The warm, wet tropical climate means humidity levels are high.
Humidity reaches 80% and above during the wet season, whilst the dry season brings a lower daily average of around 75%.
So when is the best time to visit the Maldives? If you are looking for uninterrupted sunshine, the dry season is the best time for you.
Visiting from January to March you will have wall to wall sunshine with very few wet spells.
Though you may get the odd tropical downpour it should soon clear to reveal blue skies.
However, if you don't mind the rain and are happy to fill your days with activities offered by many of the Maldives resorts (some of the world's best spa's can be found on the islands!), you may find yourself a cheaper holiday by going out of the dry season.
And don't forget, even in the wet season you are still likely to be treated to the warm weather the Maldives is famous for.
However, if you are looking for uninterrupted spells of sunshine in this tropical paradise there are certain times of the year that are better than others for visiting these gems of the Indian Ocean.
The 1190 coral reef islands that make up the Maldives stretch 820km from north to south across the equatorial belt.
Their unique location on the equator gives them a year round tropical climate with very few variations in daily temperature throughout the year.
On average, daily temperatures reach around 30°C (86°F) during the day and can fall to low 20°Cs (low 70°Fs) during monsoon months.
The hottest month is April, the coldest (though still warm) is December, whilst September sees the most rainfall.
As the Maldives spans a considerable distance across the equatorial belt, you can experience quite significant differences in the weather depending on where you are.
The South Atoll has more rainfall, whereas the North Atoll experiences a drier warmer climate.
Changes in the Maldives weather are determined by the two distinct monsoon seasons.
The dry season, Iruvai, is brought by the northeast monsoon and brings clear blue skies, lower humidity and little rain.
The wet season, the Hulhangu, is brought by the southeast monsoon and brings cloudy skies, heavy rain, strong winds and rough seas.
However, these rainy spells can be short and sharp and are interspersed with long periods of warm sunshine.
The dry season runs from January to March, with the change to the wet season in April.
The wet season then runs from May to November with the change back to the dry season in December.
May to October are known as bringing the wettest weather to the islands.
Making the months of the dry season a firm favourite with holidaymakers looking to find guaranteed winter sun.
Another feature of the Maldives weather are the humidity levels.
The warm, wet tropical climate means humidity levels are high.
Humidity reaches 80% and above during the wet season, whilst the dry season brings a lower daily average of around 75%.
So when is the best time to visit the Maldives? If you are looking for uninterrupted sunshine, the dry season is the best time for you.
Visiting from January to March you will have wall to wall sunshine with very few wet spells.
Though you may get the odd tropical downpour it should soon clear to reveal blue skies.
However, if you don't mind the rain and are happy to fill your days with activities offered by many of the Maldives resorts (some of the world's best spa's can be found on the islands!), you may find yourself a cheaper holiday by going out of the dry season.
And don't forget, even in the wet season you are still likely to be treated to the warm weather the Maldives is famous for.
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