Weather
India is a huge country and although there are similarities in the weather, of course there are differences regarding temperatures and rainfall between the south and north and between the lower parts and the higher Himalaya.
In general, from June to October the country is influenced by wet monsoon from the southwest. On some mountain ranges rainfall can be very heavy and some areas have over 10,000 mm a year, the wettest places on earth are located here, like Cherrapunji, in Meghalaya, the northeastern most part of the country.
The coolest, driest time over most of the country is from December to February, when light northerly winds bring clear skies and little rain. From March to May, India becomes hotter and hotter and the drought continues. The rains only come when the wind turns again to the southwest. On average, the arrival of the rains comes to the south of India during late May or early June and reaches the north about six weeks later.
The southern parts of India, like Kerala, are more tropical with hot and humid conditions year round. Temperatures are around or above 20 °C at night, while days are generally above 30 °C. Temperatures can reach well over 40 °C though. Coastal areas are wetter compared to the inland areas. Also, they have less extreme temperatures, especially along the west coast. Chennai (Madras) at the east coast can have temperatures well over 40 °C as well though.
The north is extremely hot from March to May, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 50 °C in Rajasthan, and averages are well into the 40's. Generally, from west to east temperatures are less extreme and there is more rainfall. Calcutta (Kolkata) for example is much wetter than Delhi and this applies to the mountains in the west and east as well. Nights in the northwest during winter (December to February) can drop to only a few degrees above zero.
In the northernmost Himalayan mountain ranges, summers are very pleasant, with less rain and more sun, but winters can be bitterly cold, with frost and snow. Temperatures can drop well below -10 °C at night and average a pleasant 30 °C in Srinagar for example. The highest peaks are always cold, but trekking in Ladakh is very comfortable during June to September.
India is a huge country and although there are similarities in the weather, of course there are differences regarding temperatures and rainfall between the south and north and between the lower parts and the higher Himalaya.
In general, from June to October the country is influenced by wet monsoon from the southwest. On some mountain ranges rainfall can be very heavy and some areas have over 10,000 mm a year, the wettest places on earth are located here, like Cherrapunji, in Meghalaya, the northeastern most part of the country.
The coolest, driest time over most of the country is from December to February, when light northerly winds bring clear skies and little rain. From March to May, India becomes hotter and hotter and the drought continues. The rains only come when the wind turns again to the southwest. On average, the arrival of the rains comes to the south of India during late May or early June and reaches the north about six weeks later.
The southern parts of India, like Kerala, are more tropical with hot and humid conditions year round. Temperatures are around or above 20 °C at night, while days are generally above 30 °C. Temperatures can reach well over 40 °C though. Coastal areas are wetter compared to the inland areas. Also, they have less extreme temperatures, especially along the west coast. Chennai (Madras) at the east coast can have temperatures well over 40 °C as well though.
The north is extremely hot from March to May, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 50 °C in Rajasthan, and averages are well into the 40's. Generally, from west to east temperatures are less extreme and there is more rainfall. Calcutta (Kolkata) for example is much wetter than Delhi and this applies to the mountains in the west and east as well. Nights in the northwest during winter (December to February) can drop to only a few degrees above zero.
In the northernmost Himalayan mountain ranges, summers are very pleasant, with less rain and more sun, but winters can be bitterly cold, with frost and snow. Temperatures can drop well below -10 °C at night and average a pleasant 30 °C in Srinagar for example. The highest peaks are always cold, but trekking in Ladakh is very comfortable during June to September.