Compared to other Indian states, Kerala lies closer to the equator. Yet Kerala is bestowed with a pleasant and equable climate through out the year. This is because of the land's nearness to the sea and the presence of the fort like Western Ghats on the east. Kerala receives copious rain (average 3000 mm a year )each year. The temperature in Kerala normally ranges from 28° to 32° C (82° to 90° F) on the plains but drops to about 20° C (68° F) in the highlands.