Mauritius weather

Mauritius weather averages and climate

Mauritius is one of the leading tourist destinations in the world, and is known for its amazing natural beauty and sub-tropical climate. Temperatures rarely fall below 17 °C, or exceed 31 °C, making Mauritius a tempting choice if you enjoy sunshine but don’t want extremes of heat. The island’s varied terrain offers many different microclimates and the southeasterly trade winds will make it feel cooler on the east and south coast through the winter months.

Data from Plaisance weather station.

Average daily max (°C)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
30.1	30.1	29.6	28.9	27.3	25.6	24.6	24.7	25.6	26.8	28.3	29.7	27.6

Average relative humidity (%)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
80	82	81	80	78	75	76	74	75	74	75	76	77

Average rainfall (mm)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
245	253	239	168	111	90	83	72	66	53	69	119	1578

Average daily sunshine (hrs)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
9	8	7	8	8	7	7	7	8	9	9	9	8

Average wind speed (mph)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
8.6	8.7	8.3	15.8	8.5	9.5	10.7	10.7	10.5	9.9	9.0	8.6	9.3

When is the best time to visit Mauritius?

The best time to visit Mauritius very much depends on what you want to do while you’re there. The hottest months are December to March with the cooler (though still warm) months June to August. The sea temperature is warm all year round, reaching 27 °C during summer which is 10 degrees warmer than the UK summer sea temperature.

Mauritius has only two seasons: summer (warm and humid) and winter (cooler and drier). It does not experience a distinct spring or autumn. Instead, there are “transition months” to mark the change in seasons.

Summer (November to April)

These are the hottest and wettest months, with temperatures peaking at an average of 30.1 °C in both January and February, and with February being the wettest month with an average of 253 mm rainfall. These months are also quite humid, but are also the sunniest.

There is a large difference in rainfall across the island, with the east coast and central plateau catching the lion's share of the wet weather, whilst the more sheltered west coast is much drier.

The later summer months are also the main cyclone season for Mauritius. Fortunately the chances of a cyclone passing over the island are remote, with most cyclones remaining at sea and eventually dissipating as they travel west and south.

Autumn (May)

This transition month heralds a change in the weather, with rainfall amounts decreasing and maximum temperatures averaging at 27.3 °C.

Winter (June to September)

Whilst these months are the breeziest, they are also drier and still warm, with maximum temperatures averaging in the mid 20’s. There is still plenty of sunny weather to be had, with an average of 7 hours sunshine each day, with northern areas seeing more sunshine on average than the rest of the island.

Wind chill is important if you’re planning to stay in areas exposed to the southeasterly trade winds, which are at their strongest during July and August, so you may want to pack a light fleece if you’re visiting in these winter months.

Spring (October)

This is another “transition month”. It’s beginning to warm up, with average day maximum temperatures now at 26.8 °C. It’s also statistically the driest month with only an average 53 mm of rainfall.

Mauritius tourist information

Mauritius has white sandy beaches, lagoons and coral reefs; perfect if you love to be by the ocean. If you venture inland you won’t be disappointed, with the mountainous interiors holding rainforests and beautiful waterfalls, as well as wildlife such as the flying fox.

The beaches of the north and west are generally busier and have more amenities if you’re looking for a sight-seeing or action packed holiday. The eastern and southern beaches, whilst more exposed to the trade winds, are still stunning and are quieter, great if you simply which to switch off and relax.

If the beach is not your thing, there are parks and nature reserves to explore inland. The Black River Gorges national park is richly forested and home to over 300 species of flowering plants. It’s also home to the Pink Pigeon, one of the rarest birds in the world.

If you’re not feeling that adventurous there is the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, and also the Chateau de Labourdonnais which boasts its own distillery. The island’s capital Port Louis has plenty of shops and boutiques, as well as places to eat and enjoy the local cuisine.