Puducherry, India
Pondicherry
Pondicherry is a city in Puducherry, India, close to the sea. It has a population of about 657,209. The climate is classified as tropical savanna (Köppen Aw), with .
Now24°C
Best timeJan–Mar
Population657,209
Local time19:57
11.93° N, 79.83° EElevation 11 mUTC+5:30 · India Standard Time
October: high / low29° / 26°
Rain this month242mm
Sea this month29°
Best timeJan–Mar
Best: Jan–Mar. Warmth, sunshine and dry days, month by month.
Pondicherry at a glance
Sunrise · sunset06:02 · 17:5011 h 48 min of daylightThe moon tonightWaxing gibbous85% · Moonrise 15:40Next holiday1 NovemberPuducherry Liberation DayNext eclipse21 Feb 2027Penumbral lunar eclipse
Best time to visitJan–Mar
The months with the highest weather score
Warmest month32°C
Average high in May
Coolest month23°C
Average low in January
Wettest monthOctober
242 mm of rain
Driest monthMarch
18 mm of rain
Warmest sea30°C
April
Monuments nearby2+
within 3.6 km
How Pondicherry has grown
People living in the built-up area (88 km² today), every five years since 1975; 2030 is the projection.
+287%274k in 1975 → 1.06M in 2025Weather in Pondicherry
Now and the next ten days. The 14 and 30-day outlooks are one click away.
24°C
Today hour by hourRain · wind 11 km/h · humidity 98%
Today22 Oct30°24°12 mm
Fri23 Oct30°25°20.8 mm
Sat24 Oct28°25°15.8 mm
Sun25 Oct29°25°28.7 mm
Mon26 Oct27°25°19.6 mm
Tue27 Oct32°24°
Wed28 Oct30°24°
Thu29 Oct31°26°
Fri30 Oct31°26°1 mm
Sat31 Oct30°25°1.5 mm
When to go to Pondicherry
Each month's weather score (warmth, sun, dry days) with its temperatures and rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 79 | 86 | 75 | 56 | 34 | 22 | 22 | 26 | 32 | 40 | 49 | 57 |
| High | 27° | 28° | 29° | 31° | 32° | 32° | 32° | 31° | 31° | 29° | 28° | 27° |
| Low | 23° | 24° | 25° | 27° | 28° | 28° | 28° | 27° | 27° | 26° | 24° | 23° |
| Rain (mm) | 30 | 24 | 18 | 20 | 52 | 56 | 79 | 120 | 126 | 242 | 314 | 171 |
| Wet days | 6 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 18 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 15 |
| Sea | 27° | 27° | 29° | 30° | 30° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 29° | 28° | 27° |
What's on in Pondicherry
Concerts, football matches, the public holidays ahead and the town's festivals through the year.
Monuments and museums in Pondicherry
0.8 km
Varadaraja Perumal Temple
3.6 km
Arikamedu
Museum0.5 km
Pondicherry MuseumMuseum3.1 km
Puducherry Science Centre & PlanetariumMore museums: Bharathiyar memorial and research centre · Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar Library
Outdoors around Pondicherry
Hiking routes from the town, and what there is to do within 15 km: huts, viewpoints, climbing, camping, ski areas and dive sites.
Aqua GuruAquariums
0.2 kmMatrimandir viewpointViewpoints
0.2 kmBotanical Garden AquariumAquariums
0.8 kmTime TravelersMountain huts
1.1 kmSapney Organic FarmCamp sites
1.1 kmSolitude FarmViewpoints
1.2 kmNature around Pondicherry
Wildlife in October
The birds and mammals of India seen most this month, compared with the rest of their year.
The sky over Pondicherry
Earthquakes around Pondicherry
The last 30 days within 300 km, and the record since 1950.
Strongest nearby since 1950
5.2Marakkanam 40 km ↘2001 · 42 km
Tropical storms · Pondicherry
TSTropical Storm Fengal (2024)19 km · 65 km/hTSTropical Storm Mandous (2022)97 km · 65 km/hC1Cyclone Nivar (2020)63 km · 111 km/hTSTropical Storm Nilam (2012)85 km · 93 km/hC2Cyclone Thane (2011)27 km · 120 km/hTSTropical Storm Nisha (2008)54 km · 93 km/hC1Cyclone of 26 November 2000 (2000)38 km · 120 km/hC1Cyclone of 26 November 1996 (1996)52 km · 65 km/hC1Typhoon of 27 November 1993 (1993)83 km · 120 km/hTSTropical Storm of 9 November 1991 (1991)75 km · 74 km/hC1Cyclone of 27 November 1984 (1984)75 km · 120 km/hC2Cyclone of 9 November 1984 (1984)89 km · 148 km/h
Universities and research institutes
Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and ResearchUniversity or college · founded 1823
Sri Aurobindo International Centre of EducationUniversity or college · founded 1952
Puducherry Technological UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1984
Pondicherry UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1985
Kanchi Mamunivar Centre for Post Graduate StudiesUniversity or college · founded 1989
Sri Manakula Vinayagar Educational TrustUniversity or college · founded 1998
Aarupadai Veedu Medical College & HospitalUniversity or college · founded 2000
Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research InstituteUniversity or college · founded 2001
Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth UniversityUniversity or college · founded 2001
Pondicherry Institute of Medical SciencesUniversity or college · founded 2002
Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and HospitalUniversity or college · founded 2006
Christ College of Engineering and TechnologyUniversity or college · founded 2007
Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research InstituteUniversity or college · founded 2010
Sri Venkateshwaraa College of PhysiotherapyUniversity or college · founded 2010
Sri Venkateshwaraa Dental College, Sri Venkateshwaraa Dental College, PuducherryUniversity or college · founded 2014
French Institute of PondicherryResearch institute · founded 1955
Vector Control Research CentreResearch institute · founded 1975
Savoirs et Mondes IndiensResearch institute · founded 2009
Towns and villages around Pondicherry
Each with its own page: weather, climate and the best time to visit.
Konsāla1.1 kmPillaitottam1.2 kmVemba Kīrappālaiyam1.6 kmPuduppalaiyam1.7 kmKusappalaiyam1.8 kmKallaraicheri1.8 kmNellittoppu1.9 kmTiruvallikkeni2.3 kmMudaliyārpettai2.5 kmTengāttittu2.8 kmGundupālaiyam3 kmEllupillaichāvadi3.1 kmTattānchāvadi3.2 kmReddiyārpālaiyam3.3 kmNayinārmantapam3.5 kmMurungappākkam3.9 kmKadirkāmam4 kmKākkāyantoppu4.5 kmMūlakkulam4.5 kmVīrāmpatnam4.5 kmPāppanchāvadi4.9 kmAriyānkuppam4.9 kmOulgaret5 kmMudrapālaiyam5.2 kmManaveli5.2 kmKommapākkam5.3 kmOdaveli5.5 kmChinnavīrāmpatnam5.7 kmOttampālaiyam5.8 kmDharmapuri6 kmArumāttapuram6 kmOdiyambattu6.3 kmAyyankuttipālaiyam6.4 kmKurumbapet6.4 kmSandikkuppam6.5 kmManaveli6.5 kmNonānguppam6.5 kmMuttupillaipālaiyam6.6 kmTattānchāvadi7.1 kmSultānpettai7.4 kmArasūr7.6 kmIdaiyārpālaiyam7.7 kmPūrnānkuppam7.7 kmKilinjikkuppam8.1 kmVillianur8.4 kmTirukkānji8.4 kmDavalakuppam8.4 kmNallavādu8.6 kmKottamedu8.7 kmTānampālaiyam8.8 kmĀndipālaiyam8.9 kmĀndipālaiyam9 kmNarimedu9.1 kmKāsāntittu9.1 kmKorukkamedu9.4 kmSivanāthapuram9.6 kmAvispākkam9.7 kmUruvaiyār9.8 kmAriyasaippetta9.9 kmTanattamedu10 kmKondimedu11 kmPerungalūr11 kmVadamangalam11 kmKonerikuppam11 kmPūnjolaikuppam11 kmGūdappakkam11 kmMangalam11 kmKorkkādu11 kmKarasūr11 kmKarkilambākkam12 kmPannittittu12 kmSembipālaiyam12 kmPālaiyam12 kmPettai12 kmKīl Sattamangalam12 kmĀnandapuram12 kmArasappanchāvadi13 kmPudukkuppam13 kmTanikkuppam13 kmSāttamangalam13 km
Pondicherry from above
Around Pondicherry23 places to see, do and reach nearby
Ousteri LakeNature9.5 kmMalattar RiverNature11 kmGingee RiverNature6.3 kmAriyankuppam RiverNature3.1 kmSankaraparani RiverNature6.3 kmVelrampet LakeNature4.3 kmPromenade BeachNature0.7 kmEden Beach PuducherryNature6.8 kmVaradaraja Perumal TempleMonument0.8 kmArikameduMonument3.6 kmPondicherry MuseumMuseum0.5 kmPuducherry Science Centre & PlanetariumMuseum3.1 kmPuducherry MuseumMuseum0.6 kmJawahar Toy MuseumMuseum0.7 kmPuducherryStation1.0 kmChinnababu SamudramStation16 kmVilliyanurStation7.9 kmCuddalorePlace21 kmVillianurPlace8.4 kmNellikkuppamPlace25 kmAurovillePlace8.3 kmGundupālaiyamPlace3.0 kmKodukkurPlace21 km
Getting to Pondicherry
Pondicherry AirportPNY
4.3 kmChennai International AirportMAA
123 kmTiruchirappalli International AirportTRZ
178 kmPuducherryRailway station
1 kmChinnababu SamudramRailway station
16 kmVilliyanurRailway station
7.9 kmPlaces near Pondicherry
Places with a climate like Pondicherry
Matched month by month on temperature, rain and sunshine.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Pondicherry?
Based on 30-year climate normals, January, February and March offer the best balance of comfortable temperatures, low rainfall and sunshine in Pondicherry.
What is the hottest month in Pondicherry?
May is the warmest month, with average highs of 32°C and lows of 28°C.
What is the coldest month in Pondicherry?
January is the coldest month, with average highs of 27°C and lows of 23°C.
What is the rainiest month in Pondicherry?
October is the wettest month with about 242 mm of precipitation on 26 wet days.
How warm is the sea near Pondicherry?
The sea is warmest in April at about 30°C and coolest in January at about 27°C.