Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India, has a tropical climate with hot summers and rainy monsoons. Since landscapes here are quite varied with plains, ghat regions and hill stations, seasons may be varied too. Summers are pleasant in hill stations while winters are cool and misty all the time; and monsoons are generally off season. Winters are the best season for a visit to Tamil Nadu, while a trip to the lush verdant hills could do well for summers too. Let us have a look at how the weather of Tamil Nadu changes from season to season. 

Summer months are warm in Tamil Nadu, with the coastal and the interior regions of the state turning hot and humid. Hill stations like Ooty, Kodaikanal and Yercaud provide respite from the summer in the plains. Sea breezes on the coasts turn nights cooler. Indulge in Tamil Nadu’s summer seasonal fruits like watermelons, mangoes, jackfruit, ice apples and tender coconut water. Average temperature ranges from around 25°C - 45°C. Choose light, soft cotton clothes to wear and stay hydrated.

Tamil Nadu, like the rest of India has a southwest monsoon period from June to September. The southwest rains are relatively weak in Tamil Nadu during this stage, with areas near the Ghats receiving more rainfall.

Soon after the Southwest monsoon withdraws, the Northeast rains in over Tamil Nadu, bringing in heavy showers from October to November, which are the rainiest months, with heavy thundershowers and floods in low lying areas. This is off season in Tamil Nadu for tourism as travel and sightseeing are troublesome due to the incessant showers. The temperature for these months averages 25°C - 30°C.

Tamil Nadu does get rain even in December when winter has set in, and is called winter rainfall. Otherwise winter months are pleasantly cool in Tamil Nadu. Hill stations and plains near them have colder climates than the rest of the state. Winter is the ideal time to go travelling across the state, visiting heritage places, the beaches or go shopping. If you are an avid bird-watcher, winter's the right time to go photographing birds migrating for winter, along the wild wetlands and sanctuaries across Tamil Nadu. Hot filter coffee and steaming vadas provide the perfect accompaniment to a cool winter day. The seasonal temperature averages 20°C - 30°C.