Kodaikanal weather in December
December in Kodaikanal: nice, soaked, with muggy air — fine if you can take 16 rainy days.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#5 of 12 months in Kodaikanal · #578 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 76/100 (tier B)
- Days
- 19°C
- Nights
- 12°C
- Wet days
- 16
- Sun
- 8.7 h
- Humidity
- 82%
- Daylight
- 12 h

Traveller notes on Kodaikanal in December
Notes from nearby Kochi (139 km away)
Kodaikanal doesn't have its own notes for December yet — these are about Kochi, close enough to share the season.
December is the middle of the Kerala season - regulars put the good window at mid-November to mid-February and the best of it at mid-December to mid-January - and that is the problem as much as the recommendation. Hotels fill through December and January, so the advice is to book as soon as the dates are fixed. The weather is sunny and mostly dry, with our row giving 55.9mm across 6.3 days, and their figures of about 32C by day and 23C at night almost exactly ours. What they flag is humidity, which on this coast stays high whatever the rain does: our row says 81 percent, turning 31.8C into a feels-like 38C. The record: 9.7 hours of sun, a 29.9C sea and AQI 91.
Other months in Kodaikanal
Forum posters describe August as monsoon season across the Western Ghats, with Kodaikanal seeing more rainy days than the rest of the year, though posters are consistent that rain doesn't fall continuously and conditions overall stay genuinely pleasant. One visitor's family reported daytime temperatures around 25C and nighttime lows near 15C, with intermittent showers rather than day-long downpours. Posters note August counts as off-season here, meaning lighter crowds alongside the wetter weather, and consistently recommend checking for rainfall alerts a few days ahead since conditions can shift. Posters generally rate August as genuinely rainy but still enjoyable for a Kodaikanal visit, an umbrella and flexible plans the main preparation needed.
Forum posters count February among the best months to visit this hill station: cool days with limited sunshine and genuinely chilly nights, but the misty, cold atmosphere is repeatedly called magical rather than a downside, and crowds are thin compared to the main holiday season. As a hill station well above the surrounding Tamil Nadu plains, Kodaikanal runs noticeably cooler than the lowland cities most visitors are arriving from - regulars advise packing real warm layers, since people expecting South Indian heat are routinely caught off guard by how cold the evenings get.
Add your own note from Kodaikanal's card on the map.
Kodaikanal climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Kodaikanal in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsChristmas to New Year rush, Winter break in India, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Kodaikanal's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherKodaikanal's weather peaks February–April.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Kodaikanal in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Holiday
Christmas to New Year rush
22 Dec – 2 Jan · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook earlyThe week from Christmas to New Year is India's busiest holiday stretch: schools and many offices break, domestic travellers pour into hill stations, heritage towns and resorts, and hotels charge peak rates, often with a New Year's Eve dinner surcharge. Book early. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Kodaikanal — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Kodaikanal?
Kodaikanal in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Kodaikanal?
- December in Kodaikanal: nice, soaked, with muggy air — fine if you can take 16 rainy days. It ranks #5 of 12 months for Kodaikanal on SeasonMap's comfort score (76/100).
- What is the weather like in Kodaikanal in December?
- In December, Kodaikanal averages a daily high of 18.6°C and a low of 11.8°C, with about 166.7 mm of rain over roughly 16.1 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Kodaikanal in December?
- Kodaikanal has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 73 in December.
Within 300 km: Kochi's Thripunithura Vrischikolsavam around 10 Nov – 5 Dec, and Alleppey's Champions Boat League around 15 Sep – 10 Dec.