Diving in
Maldives - Climate for Divers.
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Weather
 The
Maldives have a tropical climate with warm temperatures year round
and a great deal of sunshine. During a 24 year period between 1967
- 1990, the hottest month on average was April, with a maximum
monthly mean temperature of 31.5°C and a minimum of 26.5°C. The
coolest month was December, with a maximum monthly mean
temperature of 29.8°C and a minimum of 25.3°C.
There is a considerable variation of climate between Northern and
Southern atolls in the Maldives. In the south the rainfall is
greater but so are the number of rain days. Showers are not as
heavy as in the North. There are extremes of temperatures in the
North also, as the seasons are more evident further away from the
Equator.
Monsoon
Monsoon distribution
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December - April
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NE Monsoon
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April
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Transition Period
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May - November
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SW Monsoon
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November
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Transition Period
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The weather
is determined to a large extent by the monsoon circulation. Each
year there are two monsoons seasons, the north-east monsoon, iruvai
and the south west monsoon, hulhangu. The prevailing
winds which can become quite strong, are from the SW-W-WN during
the south-west monsoon and N-NE-E during the north-east monsoon.
The north-east monsoon
brings the driest period, the air having a comparatively short sea
track compared with that during the reminder of the year. The
relative humidity is only 5% lower than during the south-west
monsoon. The hot season is in March and April. In April, calm,
windless days are more likely to be experienced than any other
time of the year. The transitional period between monsoons begins
in April and by the end of May the winds are predominantly W-SW. A
fortnight of strong winds and rain usually ushers in the change of
seasons.
The wet season is from June
to September when the south-west monsoon is firmly set. Gales and
moderate to rough seas are common during this season. Cloudy days
are more frequent. November is again a transitional period. During
October day of light winds are experienced more frequently and by
the end of November, winds have shifted from W-NE to N-NE. The
effects of cyclones from the Arabian sea can be experienced during
this period. The first month of the north-east monsoon, December,
is typically rough with strong winds and rain.
Because the Maldives is in
the equatorial belt, severe tropical storms and cyclones are
extremely rare events. But whenever cyclones form in the Bay of
Bengal or Arabian Sea, the spiraling feeder band clouds appear
over the Maldives and cause spells of rain and showers. The
weather in the north may deteriorate considerably as a result, but
there is little effect on the southern islands as it is almost
impossible for low pressure areas to develop within 5° of the
Equator.
Water
Temperatures
Ocean water
temperatures rarely vary beyond 27 - 30° C although thermo clines
can sometimes be experienced at depths below 20 meters. During the
hot periods, water temperatures inside the lagoons increases
measurably, influencing water temperatures inside the atolls.
During these periods divers are comfortable diving without a wetsuit,
although those of slight build may shiver a little. During
overcast periods with and rain squalls, it is wise to carry extra
clothing on the boat after a dive. Lycra and 3mm wetsuits are
popular in tropical waters but some divers prefer a 5mm suit if
doing more than one dive a day.
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