Madagascar may be divided, according to latitude and altitude, in three climate zones: along the coast is a strip of hot and humid tropical climate, in the interior highlands, the climate is temperate, while the southern region of the country has a semi-desertic climate, dry and arid. The climate of the country is dominated and governed by the trade winds of the south-east and is divided into two seasons a hot and rainy season from November to April and a dry and cool season from May to October.

The interior highlands are hot and rainy between November and April, in the rest of the year the climate is fresh and windy, the capital Antananarivo, which is located in Highlands, has a pleasant temperate climate and an average of 1 400 mm rain a year that almost all fall during the rainy season between November and April. The maximum average temperatures in Antananarivo range from 27°C in January to 20°C in July and August, while the average minimum temperatures vary between 17°C in February to 10°C in July and August. 

The east coast is the most rainy region of Madagascar, in fact it has a sub-equatorial climate very rainy with yearly averages of 3 500 mm of rain, this area is also exposed during the monsoon, between December and March, to possible cyclones. Along the east coast the average maximum temperatures vary between 30°C in February to 25°C in July and August, while the average minimum temperatures vary between 22°C in January and 17°C in August. 

The west coast is generally drier than the eastern coast and the highlands, along this coast the amount of precipitation decreases from north to south, the city of Antsiranana at the extreme north receives 1 200 mm of rainfall annually, while the town of Maintirano, located in the center of the west coast, receives about 1 000 mm of rain a year, further south, in Toliara for example, the average annual rainfall is around 410 mm. The south and south-west region of Madagascar have a semi-desert climate. 

The island of Nosy Be, which is located along the north west coast has a special microclimate influenced by the presence of the Tsaratanana massif and receives an average of 2 000 mm of rain per year, concentrated during the rainy season between November and April. 

The best time to visit Madagascar are the months between May and October, they have mild temperatures and little rain, to avoid the months from January to March. 

 

Antananarivo (1288 masl) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rain (mm) 270 257 183 50 20 7 11 15 9 66 170 304 Min Temp (°C) 16 17 16 15 13 11 10 10 11 13 15 16 Max Temp (°C) 27 26 25 25 23 21 20 20 23 25 26 26

Antsiranana Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rain (mm) 337 306 179 52 13 19 19 18 8 17 54 170 Min Temp (°C) 23 23 23 22 21 20 19 19 20 21 22 23 Max Temp (°C) 30 30 30 31 30 29 28 28 29 30 31 31

Toliara Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rain (mm) 95 89 36 17 16 15 6 5 8 12 21 97 Min Temp (°C) 23 23 22 20 17 15 14 15 16 18 20 22 Max Temp (°C) 32 32 32 30 28 27 27 27 28 29 30 31