Kathmandu climate
Kathmandu (Nepal) has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa). The average temperature over the year is 19 °C66 °F, and about 1,084 mm43 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Kathmandu climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1661 | 542 | 1151 | 100.4 |
| Feb | 1967 | 846 | 1356 | 170.7 |
| Mar | 2475 | 1253 | 1864 | 210.8 |
| Apr | 2883 | 1660 | 2272 | 361.4 |
| May | 3085 | 1865 | 2475 | 893.5 |
| Jun | 2984 | 2068 | 2476 | 1706.7 |
| Jul | 2679 | 2068 | 2373 | 28011 |
| Aug | 2578 | 2067 | 2272 | 2389.4 |
| Sep | 2476 | 1865 | 2170 | 1696.6 |
| Oct | 2272 | 1559 | 1966 | 451.8 |
| Nov | 2067 | 1152 | 1559 | 30.1 |
| Dec | 1762 | 745 | 1254 | 50.2 |
| Year | 3085 | 542 | 1966 | 1,08443 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46% | 41% | 3.8 | 10:34 |
| Feb | 43% | 45% | 4.6 | 11:11 |
| Mar | 37% | 47% | 5.7 | 11:56 |
| Apr | 37% | 54% | 6.2 | 12:48 |
| May | 49% | 61% | 6.0 | 13:30 |
| Jun | 66% | 77% | 5.3 | 13:53 |
| Jul | 85% | 90% | 4.4 | 13:44 |
| Aug | 87% | 88% | 4.6 | 13:07 |
| Sep | 86% | 76% | 4.4 | 12:17 |
| Oct | 74% | 48% | 4.7 | 11:27 |
| Nov | 62% | 36% | 4.3 | 10:44 |
| Dec | 52% | 37% | 3.8 | 10:24 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Kathmandu is like
The warmest month is June, with an average high of 29 °C84 °F and a low of 20 °C68 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 16 °C61 °F and lows 5 °C42 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 13.7 °C24.6 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,084 mm43 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is June–August, which brings 64% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: November–February. The wettest month is July (280 mm11 in), the driest is November (3 mm0.1 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 37% in April to 87% in August. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 36%) are typical of November. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 4 km/h (2 mph) in November to 7 km/h (4 mph) in April. Daylight lasts from about 10.4 hours in December to 13.9 hours in June.
Best time to visit Kathmandu
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are February–April and October and November. Average highs then reach 19 °C67 °F to 28 °C83 °F. Precipitation is 3 mm0.1 in to 45 mm1.8 in per month.
The most challenging month is July, which is very wet (280 mm11 in) and humid (85% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Kathmandu
- Winter (December–February) — highs 1661 to 19 °C67 °F, lows 542 to 8 °C46 °F, about 10 mm0.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 2475 to 30 °C85 °F, lows 1253 to 18 °C65 °F, about 49 mm1.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Summer (June–August) — highs 2578 to 29 °C84 °F, lows around 20 °C67 °F, about 230 mm9.0 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and a good rain jacket or umbrella and quick-drying shoes.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 2067 to 24 °C76 °F, lows 1152 to 18 °C65 °F, about 72 mm2.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket.
How Kathmandu compares
The nearest larger place is Patna, about 235 km to the south. Compared with it, Kathmandu is on average 7.5 °C13.4 °F cooler. It receives 9% more precipitation (1,084 mm43 in vs 994 mm39 in). The difference is largest in May (11.1 °C20 °F cooler).
World Climates covers 13 places in Nepal. By annual mean temperature, Kathmandu is the 13th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 13th wettest. See all of them on the Nepal climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall (with seasons shifted for the other hemisphere). The closest matches are Ladysmith (South Africa, Cwa), Newcastle (South Africa, Cwa) and Gangtok (India, Cwa).
The same NASA POWER grid cell also contains Patan (pop. 299,283) and Madhyapur Thimi (pop. 119,955). Their long-term averages in this dataset are essentially the same as for Kathmandu, so they do not have separate pages.
Nearby places
- Climate in Hetauda 42 km · 24 °C75 °F · 1,224 mm48 in
- Climate in Bharatpur 87 km · 25 °C78 °F · 1,331 mm52 in
- Climate in Birgañj 88 km · 26 °C79 °F · 1,219 mm48 in
- Climate in Janakpur 124 km · 26 °C78 °F · 1,145 mm45 in
- Climate in Mothihari 124 km · 26 °C78 °F · 1,134 mm45 in
- Climate in Bettiah 129 km · 26 °C78 °F · 1,239 mm49 in
- Climate in Bagaha 139 km · 26 °C78 °F · 1,239 mm49 in
- Climate in Pokhara 147 km · 21 °C70 °F · 1,316 mm52 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Kathmandu?
June is the warmest month in Kathmandu. Its average high is 29 °C (84 °F) and its average low is 20 °C (68 °F).
What is the coldest month in Kathmandu?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 16 °C (61 °F) and its average low is 5 °C (42 °F).
When does it rain the most in Kathmandu?
July is the wettest month with about 280 mm (11.0 in) of precipitation. November is the driest with about 3 mm (0.1 in).
What is the best time to visit Kathmandu?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are February–April and October and November.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.