Compared to other Indian states, Kerala lies closer to the Equator. Yet Kerala is bestowed with a pleasant and equable climate throughout 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. The State receives copious rain, average 3000 mm a year. The temperature 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.