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

Kodaikanal🇮🇳 India · South India · City76
  1. 83Jan
  2. 91Feb
  3. 89Mar
  4. 86Apr
  5. 68May
  6. 71Jun
  7. 66Jul
  8. 64Aug
  9. 70Sep
  10. 61Oct
  11. 62Nov
  12. 76Dec

#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
Kodaikanal, India
Photo: Ajin K S · Pexels

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.
PeakSeasonBookEarly · December · 1 month ago · about Kochi · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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.
Tripadvisor community · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
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.
Tripadvisor community · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Kodaikanal's card on the map.

Kodaikanal climate normals — December

Daytime high19°C / 65°F😎 nice
Nighttime low12°C / 53°F
Feels like (high)19°C / 66°F
Rainfall167 mm / 6.6 in⛈ soaked
Rainy days16 days
Humidity82%💦 very humid
Dew point12°C / 53°F
Sunshine8.7 h/day
Daylight11.5 h
Wind7 km/h / 5 mph
Air quality (US AQI)73🙂 moderate

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)

JFMAMJJASOND

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.

JFMAMJJASOND

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 early

    The 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 ↗

What's on around the world in December →

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?

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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.