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Madagascar, the large island alongside the coasts of East Africa, has a climate that varies according to latitude and altitude. In the country there are three main climatic areas: in the highlands of the interior of the island the climate is temperate, in the central-northern coastal strip the climate is tropical hot and humid, finally in the southern areas of the island the climate is semi-desert, dry and arid. Another characteristic of Madagascar’s climate are the trade winds that blow from the southeast and regulate the climate. The country is characterized by two seasons: the rainy season which runs from November to April and the dry and cool season which affects the months from May to October.
THE CLIMATE OF THE HIGHLANDS
The internal highlands are hot and rainy between November and April, while for the rest of the year they are cool and windy. The capital Antananarivo, located in the highlands area, has a pleasant temperate climate and an average of 1,400 mm of rain per year almost all fall during the rainy season between November and April. The maximum average temperatures in Antananarivo vary from 27 ° C in January to 20 ° C in July and August, while the minimum average temperatures vary between 17 ° C in February and 10 ° C in July and August.
THE CLIMATE OF THE EASTERN COAST
The east coast is the rainiest region of Madagascar, in fact it has a very rainy sub-equatorial climate with annual averages of 3,500 mm of rain. This area is also exposed during the monsoon, between December and March, to possible cyclones. Along the east coast, the maximum average temperatures vary between 30 ° C in February and 25 ° C in July and August, while the minimum average temperatures vary between 22 ° C in January and 17 ° C in August.
THE CLIMATE OF THE WESTERN COAST
The west coast is generally drier than both the east coast and the highlands. Along this coast the amount of rainfall decreases from north to south. The city of Antsiranana in the far north receives 1,200 mm of rain per year. While the town of Maintirano, located in the center of the west coast, receives about 1,000 mm of rain per year. Further south, in Toliara, for example, the annual average rainfall is around 410 mm. The south and southwest of Madagascar have a semi-desert climate.
The island of Nosy Be, which is the most visited destination in the country, is located along the north western coast of the island. Here the climate is characterized by rather frequent rains between November and April, the rainy season. Nossy Be has an annual average of 2,000 mm of rainfall most of which falls during the wet season.
WHEN TO GO TO MADAGASCAR
If you plan to visit Madagascar the best months to visit Madagascar are those of May, June, July, August, September and October, that is, the months of the dry and cool season. In these months of the year there are pleasant temperatures and reduced rainfall. During the year, avoid a trip in January, February and March which instead represent the peak of the rainy season.
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THE CLIMATE OF MADAGASCAR: CLIMATE TABLES
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| ANTANANARIVO (1276 meters) | ||||
| Month | Average low (°C) | Average high (°C) | Precip. (mm) | Precip. days |
| January | 17,3 | 26,6 | 340 | 19 |
| February | 17,3 | 26,5 | 290 | 17 |
| March | 17,0 | 26,5 | 191 | 14 |
| April | 15,4 | 25,5 | 55 | 7 |
| May | 13,2 | 23,7 | 19 | 5 |
| June | 10,9 | 21,2 | 4 | 5 |
| July | 9,9 | 20,6 | 8 | 7 |
| August | 10,3 | 21,7 | 6 | 6 |
| September | 11,4 | 24,2 | 10 | 4 |
| October | 13,6 | 26,0 | 68 | 8 |
| November | 15,2 | 27,0 | 135 | 11 |
| December | 16,7 | 27,2 | 311 | 15 |
| YEAR | 14,0 | 24,7 | 1437 | 118 |
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| ANTSIRANANA (DIEGO SUAREZ) (13 meters) | ||||
| Month | Average low (°C) | Average high (°C) | Precip. (mm) | Precip. days |
| January | 22,8 | 30,2 | 337,5 | 16 |
| February | 22,7 | 30,2 | 305,8 | 15 |
| March | 22,9 | 30,6 | 179,4 | 12 |
| April | 22,6 | 31,0 | 52,3 | 6 |
| May | 21,6 | 30,4 | 13,4 | 4 |
| June | 20,2 | 29,3 | 19,1 | 3 |
| July | 19,6 | 28,7 | 19,0 | 4 |
| August | 19,4 | 28,7 | 18,7 | 4 |
| September | 20,0 | 29,5 | 8,8 | 2 |
| October | 21,2 | 30,5 | 17,4 | 3 |
| November | 22,5 | 31,5 | 54,6 | 5 |
| December | 22,9 | 31,4 | 170,8 | 10 |
| YEAR | 21,5 | 30,2 | 1196,8 | 84 |
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| TOLIARA (TULÉAR) (8 meters) | ||||
| Month | Average low (°C) | Average high (°C) | Precip. (mm) | Precip. days |
| January | 22,9 | 32,2 | 94,7 | 6 |
| February | 22,9 | 32,3 | 88,7 | 6 |
| March | 21,9 | 32,0 | 35,9 | 3 |
| April | 19,9 | 30,6 | 17,7 | 2 |
| May | 16,9 | 28,6 | 15,8 | 2 |
| June | 14,8 | 26,9 | 14,9 | 2 |
| July | 14,4 | 26,8 | 6,2 | 1 |
| August | 14,8 | 27,7 | 5,6 | 1 |
| September | 16,2 | 28,5 | 7,8 | 1 |
| October | 18,5 | 29,3 | 11,9 | 1 |
| November | 20,3 | 30,3 | 21,7 | 2 |
| December | 22,1 | 31,3 | 97,0 | 5 |
| YEAR | 18,8 | 29,8 | 417,9 | 32 |
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THE CLIMATE OF MADAGASCAR: TABLES OF THE SEA WATER TEMPERATURE
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| NOSY BE | ||||
| Month | Sea Water Temperature °C | |||
| January | 29 | |||
| February | 29 | |||
| March | 29 | |||
| April | 29 | |||
| May | 29 | |||
| June | 28 | |||
| July | 27 | |||
| August | 26 | |||
| September | 26 | |||
| October | 27 | |||
| November | 28 | |||
| December | 29 | |||
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| FORT DAUPHIN (TÔLANARO) | ||||
| Month | Sea Water Temperature °C | |||
| January | 27 | |||
| February | 27 | |||
| March | 27 | |||
| April | 26 | |||
| May | 25 | |||
| June | 24 | |||
| July | 23 | |||
| August | 23 | |||
| September | 23 | |||
| October | 23 | |||
| November | 24 | |||
| December | 26 | |||
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| TOLIARA (TULÉAR) | ||||
| Month | Sea Water Temperature °C | |||
| January | 28 | |||
| February | 29 | |||
| March | 28 | |||
| April | 27 | |||
| May | 26 | |||
| June | 24 | |||
| July | 23 | |||
| August | 23 | |||
| September | 24 | |||
| October | 25 | |||
| November | 26 | |||
| December | 27 | |||
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