Climate

Cauveri deltaic region of Karaikal district experiences tropical maritime type of climate with small daily range of temperature and moderate rainfall. Karaikal district has an annual average rainfall of about 126 cm. The rsange of variation of annual rainfall is wide. December and January are the coolest months with the maximum at about 28°C and the minimum at about 23°C. Minimum temperature as low as 16°C may sometimes be recorded. The diurnal ranges of temperature are generally small throughout the year, being highest (about 10°C) in May and June, and the least (about 5°C) during November to February.

2009

2010

2011

Rainfall : Karaikal has an annual average rainfall of about 126 cm. 68 percent of which occurs during October to December. The amount of rainfall during the south-west monsoon period is small, being less than 20 per cent of the annual rainfall. November is the rainiest month, accounting for about a third of the annual total. The range of variation of annual rainfall is wide. Variability of annual rain fall is fairly large, so that significant variations in rain fall from year to year may be expected. Drought conditions with the annual rainfall of less than 75 per cent of the normal may be expected once in three years on an average. In a year there are on an average about 55 rainy days, ie. Days with rainfall of 2.5 mm. or more.

Average Temperature (C°)

Rainfall (mm)

Humidity (%)

Temperature, humidity, cloudiness and surface winds : Karaikal, situated on the east coast of India, near latitude 11 degree north in the deltaic region of the Cauveri, experiences tropical maritime type of climate with small daily range of temperature and moderate rainfall. The level of temperatures in Karaikal is about the same as in Puducherry. The level of humidity and the pattern of cloudiness and surface winds are the same as in Puducherry. Although slight variations in the month wise occurrence of depressions and storms are noticeable, thunder-storms generally occur during April to November, particularly in April, September and October.

Winds are generally light to moderate in velocity during the summer and early southwest monsoon season. During southwest monsoon, winds are mostly from south to West. During the summer season, winds are Southwesterly or Westerly in the morning and Southerly or Southwesterly in the afternoons. In October and January winds are varied in direction. Cyclones and depressions occur mostly in November and December in Karaikal.

Wind Speed (kph)

Mean sea level pressure (hPa)