Month by month
| Month | Temperature | Rain | On the farm and around |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15–28°C | Dry; about 8 mm of rain | Coffee harvest; clear, cool mornings |
| February | 17–29°C | Dry; about 10 mm | End of harvest; good for treks |
| March | 19–30°C | First showers; about 38 mm | Blossom showers can bring the coffee flower; Valliyoorkavu festival |
| April | 20–29°C | Thunder showers; about 114 mm | Coffee blossom; green again after the showers |
| May | 20–27°C | Pre-monsoon; about 248 mm | Last good month for open-sky treks |
| June | 19–24°C | Monsoon arrives; about 716 mm | Wettest month; many trekking spots close on alert days |
| July | 19–23°C | Heavy monsoon; about 653 mm | Misty and green; Splash monsoon carnival; Kuruvadweep usually closed |
| August | 19–24°C | Monsoon; about 457 mm | Waterfalls at full flow, but swimming is off |
| September | 19–25°C | Easing; about 268 mm | Kuruvadweep usually reopens mid-month |
| October | 18–25°C | Retreating-monsoon showers; about 258 mm | Afternoon thunderstorms; treks reopen |
| November | 17–26°C | Tapering; about 110 mm | Green, fresh and quieter |
| December | 16–27°C | Mostly dry; about 24 mm | Coffee harvest begins; cool nights |
Temperatures and rainfall are long-term averages for Kalpetta (climate-data.org model data), so treat them as a guide.
Coffee seasons on the estate
- Blossom, March to April. After the first showers the bushes flower white for a few days, and the estate smells of jasmine.
- Harvest, December to February. Ripe cherries are picked by hand and dried on the yard. Most of Wayanad grows Robusta.
Monsoon: what to expect
- The south-west monsoon usually reaches Kerala around the start of June and eases in September.
- On heavy-rain and red-alert days the district can halt trekking and adventure activities at short notice.
- Kuruvadweep usually closes from about June to September; Chembra, Soochipara and Meenmutty can close on alert days.
- Lakes, dams, Edakkal and the wildlife sanctuary often stay open, but check before you go.
- Expect leeches on forest trails; carry salt.
Festivals
- March: Valliyoorkavu Bhagavathy temple festival near Mananthavady.
- July or August: Karkidaka Vavu at Thirunelli, when thousands perform ancestral rites at dawn.
- July: Splash, the Wayanad monsoon carnival.