Madagascar Weather Radar

Madagascar climate

Madagascar, the world's fourth-largest island, has an extraordinarily diverse climate shaped by its mountainous spine running north to south. The eastern coast faces the Indian Ocean trade winds and receives drenching rainfall year-round, often exceeding 3,500mm annually, supporting dense tropical rainforest. The western side lies in a pronounced rain shadow with a distinct dry season from April to October and considerably less annual precipitation, giving rise to dry deciduous forests and baobab-studded landscapes.

Tropical cyclones are a major threat from December through March, with the eastern and northern coasts bearing the brunt of Indian Ocean storms. Madagascar averages three to four cyclone impacts per season, and these storms bring destructive winds, torrential rain, and widespread flooding. The central highlands, where Antananarivo sits at 1,280 meters elevation, have a temperate climate with cooler temperatures than the coast, while the far south is semi-arid with spiny forests adapted to drought conditions.

Antananarivo enjoys a pleasant highland climate with warm, rainy summers averaging 21°C and cool, dry winters around 14°C, with occasional frost at higher elevations. The eastern port city of Toamasina is hot and humid year-round with some of the heaviest rainfall on the island. Mahajanga on the northwest coast has a classic tropical wet-dry climate with scorching heat before the monsoon. The southwest around Toliara is Madagascar's driest region, receiving less than 350mm of rain annually.