The winter months (November to early March) are delightfully cool and dry, with the day temperature rarely going above a comfortable 32oC, and the night temperature dipping as low as 2oC with occasional frost. By mid January most deciduous trees begin to shed their leaves. In early February, the simal trees are covered in large scarlet flowers. The sals are soon covered in bright green, new growth. The rutting season of the barasingha - one of the rarest animals on earth - is in December and January. Their haunting, bugling calls echo across the meadows and spectacular fights can be seen between stags.

The summer months (March to mid June) are hot and dry, with temperatures ranging from 42oC in the day to 20oC at night. The grasses on the meadows are pale and parched. The sal trees begin to bloom in March. The rivers and nullahs dry up and the days get hotter and hotter. During the summer, when water is scarce, the gaur descends from the forested hills to feed around the meadows. This is also the time when a tiger census is carried out by the Park authorities. Individual tiger pugmarks are collected, either by tracing the pugmarks using a glass tracer, or by making a plaster cast.

As soon as the monsoon breaks in mid to late June, the Park is closed to visitors. Kanha is transformed with lush new growth. The rivers fill to bursting point. It is humid and wet with temperatures ranging from 20o to 30oC. Kanha has an annual rainfall of 1600 mm (approx 64 inches) or more, 95% of which falls during the monsoon, from late June to September.

Tags: Season kanha