The year-round hot, sunny, and very humid climate of the Maldives is determined by the monsoons. However, being on the equator, the monsoons are mild and not as defined as in neighbouring countries. Of the two monsoons, the southwest monsoon from May to October brings some rain and wind. The northeast monsoon from November to April is the dry season with very little wind. The temperature varies little, with an annual average daily maximum of 30.4º degrees Celsius and a minimum of 25.9º degrees Celsius. Humidity in the capital Malé averages 70-75%, while down on the southern atolls along the equator, it is often over 85% on a clear day. The annual rainfall stood at just over 1,900 millimetres in 1996. In the same year, the country, which is crossed by the equator, had over 2,800 hours of sunshine, an average of about 8 hours a day.