Delhi Climate

Climate in Delhi

New Delhi, the capital of India, has a hot and humid climate for most of the season. The city climate becomes very hot during the month of June which is followed by monsoon happening somewhere after September. Monsoon in Delhi is quite unpredictable where you can't predict which way they will turn. Delhi monsoon has never been like the one we witness in other parts of India, say for example Mumbai. Winter in Delhi is very chilly which peaks in at the start of November and continues till the month of February. The foggy and chilly weather during winters makes Delhi's climate a tough one to confront with. Delhi is situated on the banks of river Yamuna with Himalayas being in the north of Delhi. This is the main reason behind Delhi's climate being called as the "Continental Climate".

Summer Season: The average temperature of New Delhi during summer ranges from 25º C to 46º C. This goes to show that Delhi summer is very cumbersome and bearing the heat is no child's play. May and June are considered to be the hottest months of the year. Summer in Delhi stays till October before tinge of winter starts to sets in. Summer in Delhi attributes its cause to Rajasthan hot waves called "Loo". These heat waves are immensely hot and one needs to take proper precaution during the season. The arrival of monsoon does bring some relief to Delhi, which comes no earlier than the end of June. Monsoon in Delhi does bring some respite to Delhities but this has still not been much predictable and has been rare at times.

Winter Season: In comparison to summer, winters are short. Winter Season starts from the end of November and continues till February-March. The cold waves from the Himalayan region makes the winters in New Delhi very chilly. Temperatures fall substantially down to as low as 3 to 4º C at the peak of winter. Winters in Delhi get really chilly with bonfires all round the streets of Delhi to beat the cold waves. Delhi is not aloof to the problems of fog and smog. In January, a dense fog envelopes the city, reducing visibility on the streets. It is advisable to take enough precautions while driving during night and morning because fog reduces the visibility to a great extent. Usually though, winter days are pleasant with bright sunlight in afternoons only.

Monsoon (Rainy Season): The city does not witness much of rainy season. The monsoon lasts from July to September. October sees the end of the monsoon but it is reasonably pleasant.

Following table gives you an idea of monthly rainfall in Delhi:

ANNUAL TEMPERATURE & RAINFALL CHART
Months	Max	Min	Rainfall
January	21	07	25
February	24	10	22
March	30	15	17
April	36	21	07
May	41	27	08
June	40	29	65
July	35	27	211
August	34	26	173
September	34	25	150
October	35	19	31
November	29	12	01
December	23	08	05

Best Time to visit Delhi: If you are looking to visit Delhi, the best time is during October-November or February-March. During October-November, the atmosphere is little bit cool with sunny weather in mid day. February-March is the time when the nights are cool and the days filled with bright sunshine. This is the time when you can enjoy the best in Delhi.