Bhutan +975-7765-5137 | Thailand +66-8-9494-2064
Bhutan +975-7765-5137 | Thailand +66-8-9494-2064

Climate and Weather in Bhutan

How is the weather in Bhutan?

The climate in Bhutan is extremely varied. This variation in the climatic conditions and average temperature can be attributed to two main factors – the vast differences in altitude present in the country and the influence of North Indian monsoons.

Southern Bhutan has a hot and humid subtropical climate that is fairly unchanging throughout the year. Temperatures can vary between 15-30 degrees Celsius (59- 86 degrees Fahrenheit). In the Central parts of the country which consists of temperate and deciduous forests, the climate is more seasonal with warm summers and cool and dry winters. In the far Northern reaches of the kingdom, the weather is much colder during winter. Mountain peaks are perpetually covered in snow and lower parts are still cool in summer owing to the high altitude terrain.

The Indian summer monsoon begin from late-June through to late-September and is mostly confined to the southern border region of Bhutan and it brings heavy rain and high humidity. These rains bring between 60 and 90 percent of the western region’s rainfall.

Annual precipitation ranges widely in various parts of the country. In the Northern border towards Tibet, the region gets about forty millimeters of precipitation a year which is primarily snow. In the temperate central regions, a yearly average of around 1,000 millimeters is more common, and 7,800 millimeters per year has been registered at some locations in the humid, subtropical south, ensuring the thick tropical forest, or savanna.

Thimphu experiences dry winter months (December through February) and almost no precipitation until March, when rainfall averages 20 millimeters a month and increases steadily thereafter to a high of 220 millimeters in August for a total annual rainfall of nearly 650 millimeters.

Bhutan’s generally dry spring starts in early March and lasts until mid-April. Summer weather commences in mid-April with occasional showers and continues to late June. The heavier summer rains last from late June through late September which are more monsoonal along the southwest border.

Autumn, from late September or early October to late November, follows the rainy season. It is characterized by bright, sunny days and some early snowfalls at higher elevations.

From late November until March, winter sets in, with frost throughout much of the country and snowfall common above elevations of 3,000 meters. The winter northeast monsoon brings gale-force winds at the highest altitudes through high mountain passes, giving Bhutan its name – Drukyul, which means Land of the Thunder Dragon in Dzongkha (the native language).

You will find current daily weather readings of major towns in Bhutan here National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology

Average Temperatures in some of the major towns in Bhutan

It should be noted that below average temperatures are recorded from valley floors in some of the major towns of Bhutan. There can be considerable divergences from the recorded figures depending upon elevation and it can be several degrees below zero at habitable high altitudes.

Month Values in
Celsius
Paro Thumphu Punakha Trongsa Bumthang Mongar Trashigang
Jan

Max

Min

9.4

-5.8

12.3

-2.6

17.0

4.3

13.0

-0.2

10.8

-5.1

15.5

8.2

20.4

10.5

Feb

Max

Min

13.0

1.5

14.4

0.6

19.0

7.8

13.9

0.4

10.0

-1.4

15.9

8.3

21.7

11.5

Mar

Max

Min

14.5

0.6

16.4

3.9

22.8

10.4

16.7

4.4

16.2

3.5

20.0

11.6

24.8

14.4

Apr

Max

Min

17.6

4.6

20.0

7.1

26.2

12.9

20.1

6.6

18.7

3.9

22.8

14.0

28.3

17.0

May

Max

Min

23.5

10.6

22.5

13.1

29.1

17.7

21

11.6

21.3

9.5

25.1

17.4

30

22.6

June

Max

Min

25.4

14.1

24.4

15.2

29.2

20.1

22.2

13.6

22.5

13.5

26.1

19.5

30.7

22.6

Jul

Max

Min

26.8

14.9

25.9

15.6

30.4

20.5

25.3

15.3

24.1

13.6

27.1

19.8

31.5

23.1

Augt

Max

Min

25.3

14.7

25.0

15.8

29.1

20

23.8

15

23.0

13.7

25.4

19.6

30.2

22.7

Sept

Max

Min

23.4

11.7

23.1

15

27.5

19.1

22.6

14.2

21.6

12.1

24.7

19.4

30.0

21.9

Oct

Max

Min

18.7

7.4

21.9

10.4

26.1

14.7

21.8

11.7

19.5

5.9

22.7

15.8

29.1

17.7

Nov

Max

Min

13.9

1.4

17.9

5.0

22.6

9.6

19.8

6.4

16.1

-0.5

19.9

11.2

26.1

13.6

Dec

Max

Min

11.2

-1.7

14.5

-1.1

19.1

6.3

18.2

2.5

12.3

-2.3

17.7

9.5

23.0

11.6