Climate

Madagascar has a tropical climate split between a dry and a wet season. Andavadoaka is located in one of the driest areas of the country with an annual rainfall that can be less than 36 cm and a dry season that can last 9 to 11 months.

This lack of precipitation is experienced by the majority of southern Madagascar and is in stark contrast to the heavy rains carried by the south easterly trade winds to the eastern and north-western coasts from May to September and the monsoon rains experienced by the western coast from October to April. A combination of geographical factors means that these rains do not reach the southwestern coast, creating a semi-arid environment for much of the south of the country punctuated only by a brief rainy season that usually runs from December to February.

Across the country, the temperature varies with altitude, with coastal areas being the hottest. Temperatures in the Andavadoaka region average 21 to 28 degrees Celsius (70 to 80 degrees Farenheit).Water temperatures are seasonal, ranging from 22-24 degrees Celsius in the coolest month (August), to 28-30 degrees Celsius in February, the warmest month.

Recent years have seen periods of unseasonably high summer sea surface temperatures, particularly in shallow lagoonal waters. This has been associated with recent observations of climate-induced coral bleaching and mortality events.