Climate in India

India is a very large country with several different climates. The different climatic conditions are discussed briefly below.

North India: Rajasthan, Agra, Delhi, Varanasi, Ranthambore National Park
In Rajasthan, Agra and or Varanasi, the best time to travel is between October and the end of April. Temperatures in Delhi often reach 40ºC in May and June, and even soar as high as 45ºC the Thar desert of Rajasthan, so you may find the heat uncomfortable over this period. During July and August there are regular showers, clearing the air. In September, the weather is even better as the rain clears and the temperatures drop a little.

North East (Darjeeling, Sikkim) and North West India (Dharamsala, Manali, Ladakh):
Both North East and North West India, get extremely cold in the winter, due to their high altitudes. This makes it important to plan your dates carefully if you are planning to trek in the Himalayan foothills. In the north west foothills, the rainy season runs from the beginning of July until the end of August, while in the north east, the rains begin in June and end in October.

Bombay and Goa:
This central/south west area of India is best visited between November and late May. It never becomes unbearably hot, but in June, July and August there are frequent heavy shower that can last for several hours at a time. However, between the downpours there will be dazzling sunshine.

South India (Kerala and Tamil Nadu):
The climate in South India is tropical. In Kerala, temperatures remain at about 30ºC all year round. The monsoon hits Kerala in June and lasts until September, and the area is best visited between November and May. Tamil Nadu, in the South East, is the hottest area of the country (and the curries are hottest here too). Temperatures here hover at around 35ºC, increasing even further in May and June. The short but aggressive rainy season in Tamil Nadu runs from early October until early December.

Maldives:
The weather in the Maldives is pretty fantastic all year round, with temperatures that average about 30ºC. It can rain at any time, although there’s always plenty of sunshine too. In September and October, the level of rainfall is slightly higher, while the driest period stretches from January to late April.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Delhi
Rajasthan Varanasi

Sun 20ºC

Sun 22ºC

Sun 28ºC

Sunny
35ºC

Sunny
39ºC

Sun/
rain 39ºC

Sun & rain
35ºC

Sun &
rain 33ºC

Sun & rain 33ºC

Sunny
32ºC

Sunny
28ºC

Sunny 22ºC

Sikkim Darjeeling

Sun
9ºC

Sun
11ºC

Sun/
rain
15ºC

Sun &
rain 18ºC

Sun &
rain 19ºC

Heavy rain 19ºC

Heavy rain 20ºC

Heavy rain
20ºC

Sun &
rain 19ºC

Sunny
15ºC

Sunny 12ºC

Dharamsala Manali

Sun, rain
6ºC

Sun,
rain
7ºC

Sun/ rain
10ºC

Sun, rain
13ºC

Sun/
rain 16ºC

Sun &
rain 20ºC

Heavy rain
14ºC

Heavy rain
18ºC

Sun, rain & clouds
17ºC

Sun/ rain 14ºC

Sunny
12ºC

Sunny
8ºC

Bombay
Goa

Sun
30ºC

Sun
31ºC

Sunny
32ºC

Heavy rain
30ºC

Heavy rain 30ºC

Heavy rain 29ºC

Sun & rain 30ºC

Sun &
rain 31ºC

Sunny
31ºC

Sunny 30ºC

Kerala
(South West)

Sun
31ºC

Sun, rain 31ºC

Sun &
rain 31ºC

Heavy rain
29ºC

Heavy rain 28ºC

Sun & rain 28ºC

Sun &
rain 29ºC

Sun/
rain 30ºC

Sunny
28ºC

Tamil Nadu (South East)

Sun
29ºC

Sun
31ºC

Sun
33ºC

Sunny
35ºC

Sun/
rain 38ºC

Sun/ rain 37ºC

Sun & rain
35ºC

Sun &
rain 35ºC

Sun & rain 34ºC

Heavy rain
32ºC

Heavy rain
29ºC

Sun & rain
28ºC

Maldives

Sun
30ºC

Sun
31ºC

Sunny
31ºC

Sun/
rain 31ºC

Sun &
rain 30ºC

Sun & rain
30ºC

Sun &
rain 30ºC

Sun/ rain 30ºC

Sun/
rain
30ºC

Sunny 30ºC

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