CAMBODIA FACT FILE AND CLIMATE - WEATHER

Cambodia Climate
Cambodia is found in the geographical region, within the tropics, simply 10-13 degrees north of the equator.
Like most of the geographical region, the Asian country is taken hot year spherical and also the climate is dominated by the annual monsoon cycle with its alternating wet and dry seasons.
The monsoon cycle is driven by cyclic atmospheric pressure changes over central Asia.
As the pressure drops during the summer months (June through October), moist air is drawn landward from the ocean bringing the southwest monsoon rains to Cambodia and much of Southeast Asia.
Come the winter months (November through May), the atmospheric pressure over central Asia rises, driving cool dry air back across geographical region and transportation on a for the most part dry dry
season to Cambodia.
The mean daily temperature conjointly rises and falls with the winter and summer months, however not specifically in time with the wet and season, effectively making four annual
seasons in Cambodia:
1) November-February: Cool and dry.
Average middle-day temperatures within the mid-20s, someday dipping below twenty at midnight.
The monsoon rains path off through October and November and have sometimes stopped fully by middle November.
These months - November through Gregorian calendar month - area unit usually thought-about to be the simplest time of year to go to, with Dec and January providing the best possible weather of
the year across the country - well heat days, clear skies, no rain, breeze, cool evenings.
Ideal beach weather in Sihanoukville.
A comfortable time of year to go to the temples close to Siem Reap.
Temperatures begin to creep up a bit through February and there are occasional, short 'mango showers' in the afternoon.

2) March-May: Hot and dry.

The season continues, the sole precipitation being short 'mango showers' within the afternoons that slowly increase in frequency and intensity through these months.
During these months watercourse and lake levels area unit terribly low, usually creating boat/river ferry travel rather more troublesome, less reliable and may greatly increase travels times dramatically.
On the opposite hand, road travel (bus, taxi, motorcycle) is much easier and more reliable for lack of rainy season flooding.
The temperature slowly rises through Gregorian calendar month and March, peaking get in the Gregorian calendar month and should before the monsoons begin.
February and March are still comfortable but by April mid-day temperatures can hover in the mid to upper 30s, especially in inland areas like Siem Reap.
It is less breezy at this point of the year, the sun will be quite intense and also the air becomes hazier with the rising wetness.
Though sometimes quite hot, the lack of rain still leaves this a good time of year to visit the temples or the beach.
3) June-August: Hot and wet.
The hot season continues, however, is fairly quickly tempered because the monsoon rains begin in could and June, cooling, if only a bit, the hot, humid air.
Across most of the country, the monsoon rains area unit fairly foreseeable, usually occurring in the afternoon or at night.
And the afternoon rains sometimes last no quite some of the hours creating them fairly simple to set up around, particularly if you're visiting the temples or traveling.
In fact, the Angkor temples area unit at their aesthetic best throughout the wet season.
The surrounding moats and reflective pools area unit full, the jungle is lush and moisture brings outs the colors of the moss and lichen covered stones of the temples.
Boat travel becomes easier and a lot of reliable because the season progresses and also the watercourse and lake levels rise, however, some roads typically deteriorate or become quickly flooded.
The pattern of monsoon rains tends to be different along the coast and the beach towns, where the rains are more frequent and, when the season is at its peak, may last for days at a time, though, unlike the rest of the country, the rain on the coast may stop for days at a time as well.

4) September-Early November: Cool and wet.
The air does not extremely begin to chill abundant till Oct or November, but still, its cooler than the most popular months.
In Gregorian calendar month, the temperatures hover within the middle 30s and slowly drop through the subsequent months.
By October, the middle day temperatures are around thirty.
In Gregorian calendar month, the time of year is simply passing its peak.
The rains are still terribly regular and intense in the Gregorian calendar month, however, by Oct the frequency is sometimes dropping off significantly.
By the tip of Oct, the rains are on the brink of stopping fully if they haven't already.
As the rains end through October, the best time of year to visit Cambodia begins.

The Rainy Season
Many travelers clearly attempt to avoid visiting the geographical area throughout the wet season, presumptuous that the rains can spoil the visit.
There are obvious disadvantages to visiting throughout the time of year, however, in person, it's my favorite time of year in Cambodia.
During the time of year, the temples of Angkor are at their most stunning and most attractive.
The reflective pools and moats are full, the vegetation is deep inexperienced and also the wet stone of the temples is at its most colorful.
Also of photographic note, the rain-washed air of the wet season is particularly clear as compared to the hazy, smoky skies of the dry season, making those long shots of the temples and rice paddies that much clearer. (If you always wanted that shot of from the top of Phnom Bakheng of the distant Angkor Wat in the jungle illuminated the light of sunset, this is the
best time of year to bring your 400mm lens and provides it an attempt.) Outside the cities, the rice paddies are full of water and green with new rice, the
jungle is lush and also the country is picturesque and alive with season activity.
The stream and lake levels are high creating boat travel straightforward.
(It's the best time of year to take the boat from Siem Reap to Battambang, reputedly one of the most picturesque boat trips in Cambodia.) And it must be
said that there are fewer tourists within the country.
The temples are less crowded, prices are lower and the bars and restaurants are all happy to see you. And, practically speaking, it does not rain all of the time or even every day during the rainy season.
When it will rain it always starts around 2:00 PM or 3:00 PM and lasts some of the hours, making it easy to plan around in most cases.
Toward the start and also the finish of the season the rains occur with way less frequency.