Kerala in August is a settled monsoon month, wet but easing off July's peak. The coast sits near 30°C with warm, humid nights, while the hills stay cool in the low 20s. Expect rain most days, rough seas and restricted swimming, the year's lowest rates, and the Nehru Trophy Boat Race at Alappuzha.
How is Kerala's weather in August?
August sits in the heart of the southwest monsoon, but the rain eases from the July peak across much of Kerala. Days are grey and wet with warm, humid air, the hills stay cool and green, and bright spells open up more often than in July.
Weather in Kerala in August
August keeps the monsoon rhythm set in June and July, but the totals come down. On the coast, daytime highs hold near 30°C with humid nights around 24°C, and the air stays heavy between showers. The rain comes in waves rather than all day, often heaviest in the morning and after dark, with brighter gaps that July rarely gives. The hills are cooler and wrapped in cloud. Munnar sits near 21°C by day and around 16°C at night, with Wayanad and Vagamon similar and often misty. These are typical August averages, not a forecast for any single year. The southwest monsoon is fully established in August and does not begin to withdraw from Kerala until around October.
Overall Temperature in Kerala, area wise
The figures below are long-term August averages, not a forecast for any single year. They are grouped by region because an August day in Munnar and an August day on the Kozhikode coast are not the same trip.
These are long-term monthly averages, not a forecast for any single year. Munnar, Wayanad, Vagamon, Thekkady, Athirappilly and Silent Valley have no dedicated IMD weather station, so their figures are modelled or lapse-rate indicative estimates and approximate, and Bekal uses the Mangalore station on the same coast. August rainfall is high but below the June and July peak.
| Region and place | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Rainy days | Sea (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Munnar (hill) | 21 | 16 | 321 | 20 | not applicable |
| Wayanad, Kalpetta (hill) | 24 | 19 | 457 | 21 | not applicable |
| Vagamon (hill) | 25 | 20 | 362 | 21 | not applicable |
| Thekkady, Kumily (hill) | 25 | 19 | 247 | 20 | not applicable |
| Alleppey (Alappuzha) | 29.9 | 24.0 | 380 | 19 | 27 |
| Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) | 30.0 | 24.9 | 135 | 12 | 27.5 |
| Kollam | 30.0 | 24.9 | 135 | 12 | 27.5 |
| Kozhikode (Calicut) | 29.8 | 24.0 | 433 | 19 | 27 |
| Athirappilly (foothill, ~100 m) | 30 | 24 | 380 | not applicable | not applicable |
| Silent Valley (forest, ~1000 m) | 21 | 17 | 480 | not applicable | not applicable |
| Bekal (Kasaragod coast) | 29 | 23 | 755 | not applicable | 27.5 |
Figures are indicative long-term averages and some hill and foothill places use a modelled or nearby station, as noted above.
Kerala hill stations: weather and temperature
1. Munnar stays cool and cloud-wrapped, near 21°C by day and about 16°C at night, with heavy monsoon rain near 321 mm over roughly 20 wet days. The tea slopes are at their greenest, but mist and drizzle can close viewpoints for hours.
2. Wayanad runs a touch warmer at about 24°C by day and 19°C at night, and is one of the wettest hill areas in August, near 457 mm over about 21 days. The 2024 landslide-hit villages of Mundakkai and Chooralmala are not visitor sites; general tourism centres have reopened, but check current access and landslide advisories before you travel.
3. Vagamon sits near 25°C by day and 20°C at night with heavy rain near 362 mm, the grassland plateau soft underfoot and often in cloud.
4. Thekkady (Kumily) is the driest of the four, near 25°C by day and 19°C at night with about 247 mm, because the Periyar belt sits in a partial rain shadow. It gets more usable gaps between showers than the west-facing hills.
Kerala Coastal and Backwater Regions: Weather and Temperature
1. Alleppey (Alappuzha) holds near 30°C by day and 24°C at night, with about 380 mm of rain over roughly 19 days. The backwaters are full and green, and this is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race lake.
2. Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) is the driest major coastal city in August, near 30°C by day and 25°C at night with about 135 mm over 12 days, as the far south catches less of the monsoon than the centre and north.
3. Kollam mirrors Thiruvananthapuram closely, near 30°C and about 135 mm, with the same lighter southern monsoon and calm backwater stretches around Ashtamudi.
4. Kozhikode (Calicut) is wetter, near 30°C by day and 24°C at night with about 433 mm over 19 days, as the central and north coast takes the heavier share of the rain.
Kerala's Other Destinations: Weather and Temperature
1. Athirappilly runs near 30°C by day in its Chalakudy river gorge, and the waterfall is at full monsoon force in August, loud and brown with run-off. Rainfall is heavy, near 380 mm and often more in the hills above.
2. Silent Valley is cool and wet, near 21°C by day in the Mukkali foothills and colder in the protected core, with very heavy rain near 480 mm. Trekking and park access are limited in the monsoon, so confirm what is open.
3. Bekal on the far north coast is the wettest place on this page, near 29°C by day and about 755 mm of rain, as the north Kerala coast takes the monsoon's heaviest coastal totals. The fort and beach are dramatic under monsoon skies but often rained off.
Is there any rainfall in August?
Yes, a lot, but less than July. August is a full monsoon month, and the rain usually comes in waves rather than as an all-day downpour, with more bright gaps than June or July. On the coast, Kozhikode averages about 433 mm over roughly 19 wet days and the backwater belt around Alleppey near 380 mm, while the far south is much drier, with Thiruvananthapuram near 135 mm over 12 days. The hills catch more as the slopes face the wind, with Wayanad near 457 mm and Munnar near 321 mm. Mornings and nights tend to be wettest, and a typical day gives you usable dry windows between the spells. The far north coast around Bekal is the wettest of all, near 755 mm.
How is the Sea Temperature in Kerala?
The Arabian Sea off Kerala sits around 27°C in August, a little cooler than the pre-monsoon high as the monsoon churns the water. That is still warm. Whether it is safe to swim is a separate question, covered below, and in August the answer is mostly no, because the monsoon sea is rough.
What to pack for a trip to Kerala in August?
Pack for rain first, with light, quick-drying clothes for the humid coast and a warm layer only for the hills.
A proper umbrella and a rain poncho. August rain is heavy and frequent, so a compact umbrella plus a light waterproof jacket beats a flimsy poncho.
Quick-drying clothes and a dry bag. Light cottons and synthetics that dry overnight, and a waterproof pouch for a phone, camera and documents on boats and in the open.
Sandals or shoes that handle wet ground. Grippy sandals or quick-dry trail shoes work better than leather, which stays soggy. Flooded lanes and slick steps are common.
A warm layer for the hills. Munnar and Vagamon evenings near 16°C to 20°C with damp air feel cold, so pack a fleece or light jacket if you are heading uphill.
Insect repellent. Mosquitoes are at their worst in the monsoon, especially around backwaters and wet vegetation.
Modest clothing for temples. Keep shoulders and knees covered, and check each temple's dress rule before you go.
A power bank and torch. Monsoon spells bring the odd power cut, so a charged power bank and a small torch are useful.
Assume most days will have rain. Keep electronics in a dry bag on backwater cruises and build flexible, indoor-friendly options into each day.
What festivals and events to attend in August in Kerala?
August's headline is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race at Alappuzha, and the Onam season begins to stir, though in 2027 the festival itself falls in September. Dates that follow the Malayalam calendar move each year, so confirm them close to travel.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Alappuzha. The famous snake-boat race on Punnamada Lake, with crews of over a hundred rowers. It is traditionally held on the second Saturday of August, which falls on 14 August in 2027, but the exact date is fixed and announced each year by the organising society, so confirm before booking.
The start of the Onam season. Chingam, the first month of the Malayalam calendar and the Onam month, begins in mid-August, and markets fill with Onam shopping and flowers for the pookalam. In 2027 the ten-day festival runs in September, with Atham on 2 September and Thiruvonam on 12 September, so for Onam itself, see our Kerala in September guide.
Karkidaka Vavu and the Ayurveda month. Karkidakam, the monsoon month given to Ayurveda treatment and Ramayana reading, runs into mid-August, and Karkidaka Vavu, a new-moon day for ancestral rituals at temples and river ghats, usually falls in late July or early August.
Independence Day, 15 August. A national holiday marked with flag-hoisting and school and civic events across Kerala.
The Onam-season snake-boat races tied to the festival, such as Aranmula and Payippad, follow Onam into September in 2027. The Nehru Trophy is the one major boat race that sits firmly in August.
Is the sea safe for swimming and water sports in August?
Mostly no. August is a monsoon month, the Arabian Sea is rough with strong currents and high waves, and swimming is restricted or unsafe on most Kerala beaches. Water sports largely stop for the season.
Treat the open sea as off-limits for swimming. The monsoon swell and rip currents make most beaches dangerous in August, whatever the water looks like from the shore.
Follow the flags and lifeguards where present. At patrolled beaches like Kovalam, red flags mark no-swim zones. In the monsoon much of the coast is red-flagged.
Water sports are out of season. Parasailing, jet skis and most operator activities close during the monsoon and restart after the seas calm, usually from around October.
Enjoy the sea from the shore. Monsoon surf, forts and headlands like Bekal and the Varkala cliff are dramatic in August, but stay back from slippery edges and high waves.
If there is no guard and no flag, stay out of the water.
How Crowded is Kerala in August?
August is low season, the quietest and cheapest stretch of the year alongside June and July, with one exception around the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
The monsoon keeps most foreign and domestic leisure visitors away, so the backwaters, hill stations and towns are calm and good value, and houseboats and hotels are easy to book. The exception is Alappuzha around the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in mid-August, when the town fills, accommodation tightens and rates jump for the race weekend. As the Onam season builds toward late August, demand begins to pick up ahead of the September festival.
How much does a Kerala Trip cost in August?
August carries the monsoon's low-season rates, among the cheapest of the year, with a short spike around the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
Budget roughly Rs 2,500 to Rs 6,000 per person a day for a mid-range trip, on a twin-sharing, land-only basis, which covers a mid-range hotel, a car with driver, entry fees and meals but leaves out flights. Over a week, two people land somewhere near Rs 35,000 to Rs 84,000 before flights, moving with the hotel grade and the route. These are indicative figures as of October 2026.
The houseboat is the one line that swings a budget the most. On the Alleppey and Kumarakom backwaters, a one-bedroom boat is about Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 a night for a deluxe, Rs 10,000 to Rs 18,000 for a premium, and from roughly Rs 18,000 upward for a luxury, quoted per boat per night with meals usually included. August rates sit near the yearly low, which is one of the real reasons to travel now.
What pushes prices in August is narrow: the Nehru Trophy Boat Race weekend in Alappuzha, when backwater stays and houseboats spike and sell out, and the gradual build toward the Onam season late in the month. To put real numbers against a plan, our Kerala tour packages and the Alleppey backwater houseboat package both give you a current, costed starting point per person.
Best Kerala Activities in August
The rain shapes the month, so August is best spent on the water, in the green hills between showers, and at waterfalls in full flow.
Watch the Nehru Trophy Boat Race. If your dates line up in mid-August, the snake-boat race on Punnamada Lake is Kerala's biggest monsoon spectacle. Book a ticketed pavilion seat ahead.
Take a monsoon houseboat cruise. The Alleppey and Kumarakom backwaters are full, green and nearly empty of other boats, and rates are at their lowest.
See Athirappilly in full roar. The waterfall is at monsoon peak, about two hours from Kochi, best viewed from the safe marked points as the Chalakudy river thunders through.
Start a monsoon Ayurveda course. August falls in the traditional treatment season, when the cool, humid air is considered ideal. Choose a Kerala Tourism approved centre and plan a stay of at least a week for a genuine course.
Walk the tea hills between showers. Munnar and Vagamon are green and quiet, with bright gaps that reward an early, flexible start.
What are the best 5 places to visit in Kerala in August?
Chosen for what August does well: full backwaters, waterfalls at peak, green hills and the monsoon Ayurveda season, with the coast kept for the shore rather than the sea.
Alleppey and Kumarakom. The Alleppey (Alappuzha) and Kumarakom backwaters are the heart of an August trip, full and green with houseboats at low-season rates and few other boats about. Mid-August brings the Nehru Trophy Boat Race on Punnamada Lake, the month's biggest event, so book the race weekend early.
Athirappilly. Kerala's largest waterfall is at full monsoon force in August, loud and powerful in its forested Chalakudy river gorge about two hours from Kochi (Cochin, COK). View it from the marked points, as the rocks and river are dangerous now, and pair it with the green Vazhachal stretch nearby.
Munnar. The high ranges are cool near 21°C and at their greenest, with the tea slopes and waterfalls full after the rain. Mist closes viewpoints often, so keep plans flexible and start early. Drive the ghat road with care and check conditions, as monsoon landslips can slow the climb.
Thekkady (Periyar). Thekkady earns its August place as the driest of the hill areas, sitting in the Periyar rain shadow near 25°C with more usable gaps between showers. The Periyar Lake cruise, spice-garden walks near Kumily and the green forest suit the monsoon well.
Kochi. Kochi (Cochin) is the easy monsoon base, near 30°C with plenty to do under cover when it pours: Fort Kochi, the museums and galleries, the old quarters and the start of the Onam shopping season in the markets. It links straight to the backwaters and Athirappilly.
For a monsoon route that pairs the backwaters with the hills at low-season rates, our best of Kerala circuit through Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady and Alleppey fits August well, and the Alleppey houseboat packages focus on the backwaters on their own.
Travel tips for a Kerala trip in August
Plan around the rain, not against it. Build flexible days with indoor options, and keep the heaviest sightseeing for the brighter morning and midday gaps.
Book the Nehru Trophy weekend early. If you want the race, reserve Alappuzha stays and a ticketed seat well ahead, as mid-August sells out there.
Carry a dry bag on the water. Keep phones, cameras and documents sealed on houseboat and backwater cruises.
Drive the ghat roads with care. The Munnar, Wayanad and Thekkady climbs can see landslips and slow traffic in heavy rain, so start early and check conditions.
Stay out of the rough sea. Swimming is unsafe on most beaches in August, so enjoy the coast from the shore.
Use the low rates. Houseboats and hotels are at their cheapest now, outside the race weekend, so this is the month to travel well for less.
Keep insect repellent handy. The monsoon is peak mosquito season, especially around backwaters and wet ground.
Thinking about a different month? Kerala in July is wetter, the peak of the monsoon with the heaviest rain and the emptiest backwaters, while Kerala in September brings Onam, the festival's snake-boat races and the first easing of the rains. If you would rather skip the monsoon altogether, Kerala in January gives you dry, cool weather at peak-season prices. For the wider picture, see our best time to visit Kerala guide.
FAQs
It can be, if you plan for rain. August is a wet but settled monsoon month, drier than July, with the backwaters full and green, the lowest rates of the year and the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in mid-August. It suits travellers happy with grey, showery days, indoor-friendly plans and the sea kept for looking at, not swimming.
Warm and humid rather than hot. Coastal highs sit near 30°C with muggy nights around 24°C to 25°C, cooler than the pre-monsoon months because of the cloud and rain. The hills are cool, with Munnar near 21°C by day and about 16°C at night, often misty and damp enough to want a light layer.
Yes, but less than July. August is a full monsoon month, with the coast around Kozhikode near 433 mm and the backwaters near 380 mm, while the far south stays much drier near 135 mm. Rain usually comes in waves, heaviest at night and in the morning, leaving usable bright gaps during the day.
No. In 2027 the Onam season begins in late August but the ten-day festival falls in September, with Atham on 2 September and Thiruvonam on 12 September. August markets fill with Onam shopping, but for the festival itself, the pookalams, feasts and snake-boat races, plan a September trip.
It is traditionally held on the second Saturday of August at Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, which falls on 14 August in 2027. The organising society fixes and announces the exact date each year, so confirm it before you book, as it can shift within the month. Reserve Alappuzha stays and seats well ahead.
Usually not safely. August is peak monsoon, so the Arabian Sea is rough with strong currents and high waves, and most beaches restrict or ban swimming. Water sports are out of season until around October. Enjoy the surf from the shore, follow red flags and lifeguards, and never enter the water where there is no guard.
Yes, among the cheapest. Monsoon low-season rates apply to hotels and houseboats through August, often the lowest of the year. The main exception is Alappuzha around the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in mid-August, when the race weekend spikes prices and availability. Elsewhere the state stays quiet and good value.
Pack for rain first. A sturdy umbrella and a light waterproof jacket, quick-drying clothes, a dry bag for electronics on the water, and sandals or shoes that cope with wet ground. Add a warm layer for the cool, damp hills, insect repellent for the monsoon mosquitoes, and modest clothing for temples.
August rewards a plan built around the water and the green hills, with the backwaters full, the waterfalls at peak and rates at their yearly low outside the boat-race weekend. Tell us your dates and whether you want the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in the plan, and we will shape a monsoon trip around the rain. Start with our Kerala tour packages.
