Kathmandu, Nepal Climate & Monthly Averages
Kathmandu has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 79° by day; January is the coldest at 62°.
To understand Kathmandu, start with the wet season
Kathmandu's year is organised around rain rather than temperature. 68% of its 119.4 inches (3032 mm) annual total arrives in the June to August window, while November averages 8 mm (0.3 in). Temperatures move far less: 79°F (26°C) at the year's warmest against 62°F (16°C) at its coolest.
Where the rain falls in the calendar
Warmth peaks in July: highs of 79°F (26°C), lows of 69°F (20°C). January sits at the other end of the year: 62°F (16°C) by day, 42°F (5°C) at night. Sunshine averages 9.5 hours a day over the year, peaking in April at 11.1 hours.
Rainfall is strongly seasonal: 68% of the annual total falls in the June to August window, leaving November at 8 mm (0.3 in). 2 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running November through December. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 89°F (32°C) and the lowest daily minimum 29°F (-1°C).
More climate facts for Kathmandu
- Hottest month: July - highs near 79°F (26°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 62°F (16°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 89°F (32°C) high · 29°F (-1°C) low
- Wettest month: July (31 rainy days) · Sunniest: April (11.1 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 12°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 9°C
- Average humidity: 78%
Follow the rain through Kathmandu's year
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Kathmandu's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 5 days
- Sunshine
- 9.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
February
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.2 h
March
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 10.3 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.8 h
May
- Rain
- 24 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.5 h
June
- Rain
- 27 days
- Sunshine
- 9.6 h
- Daylight
- 13.9 h
July
- Rain
- 31 days
- Sunshine
- 7.1 h
- Daylight
- 13.7 h
August
- Rain
- 31 days
- Sunshine
- 7.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.1 h
September
- Rain
- 28 days
- Sunshine
- 8.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
October
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 9.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.4 h
November
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.7 h
December
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 9.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.4 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Kathmandu's coolest part of the year: January, December, February.
Working around Kathmandu's rain pattern
Choose dates by rain, not just temperature
November to February is the sweet spot for Kathmandu - the rains have stopped and the heat has not yet peaked. Expect 65°F (18°C) in the afternoon and around 4 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in November.
What to pack
Pack for Kathmandu with proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. Note the gap between afternoon and night: July pairs 79°F (26°C) with 69°F (20°C).
How Kathmandu compares for rain and warmth
- 68% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more seasonal than 96% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Rain or snow reaches the ground on 194 days a year - more wet days than 90% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.
Monthly temperature and rain table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 62° | 42° | 5 | 1.1 in | 9.4 h/day | 10.6 h | 16% | 71% |
| February | 66° | 45° | 6 | 1.2 in | 10.2 h/day | 11.2 h | 22% | 71% |
| March | 71° | 51° | 11 | 2.5 in | 10.3 h/day | 11.9 h | 36% | 66% |
| April | 77° | 57° | 13 | 3.4 in | 11.1 h/day | 12.8 h | 44% | 64% |
| May | 78° | 61° | 24 | 9.0 in | 10.8 h/day | 13.5 h | 76% | 78% |
| June | 80° | 67° | 27 | 17.9 in | 9.6 h/day | 13.9 h | 89% | 86% |
| July | 79° | 69° | 31 | 34.4 in | 7.1 h/day | 13.7 h | 100% | 91% |
| August | 80° | 68° | 31 | 28.4 in | 7.8 h/day | 13.1 h | 100% | 90% |
| September | 78° | 66° | 28 | 17.7 in | 8.6 h/day | 12.3 h | 94% | 90% |
| October | 74° | 59° | 14 | 3.2 in | 9.9 h/day | 11.4 h | 44% | 82% |
| November | 70° | 51° | 3 | 0.3 in | 9.8 h/day | 10.7 h | 9% | 76% |
| December | 64° | 44° | 2 | 0.3 in | 9.4 h/day | 10.4 h | 7% | 72% |
The wet and quieter seasons in Kathmandu
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Kathmandu brings comfortable warmth, with daytime highs averaging 75°F (24°C) and nights around 57°F (14°C); rain falls on around 48 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.7 hours of sun a day.
Summer (June through August)
Summer brings comfortable warmth here - highs near 80°F (26°C), nights near 68°F (20°C), and rain falls on around 89 of the 90 days.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Kathmandu is mild and warm: 74°F (23°C) by day, 59°F (15°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 45 of the 90 days.
Winter (December through February)
Winter is crisp but comfortable here - highs near 64°F (18°C), nights near 44°F (6°C), and rain comes on about 13 days over the three months.
Rain and seasonal questions about Kathmandu
When is the rainy season in Kathmandu?
What should I pack for Kathmandu?
Is Kathmandu hot in summer?
Is Kathmandu a wet city?
How cold does Kathmandu get in winter?
Is Kathmandu humid?
Kathmandu temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.