Weather by month for Thimphu, the best months to go and how Bhutan's regions differ, scored from 10 years of climate data.
May, Oct
The highest month scores: comfortable temperatures, little rain and plenty of sun.
Highs 18°C to 19°C · 24–30 rain days
Apr, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Nov
Still good weather, just not quite the top months.
Highs 15°C to 22°C · 17–31 rain days
Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec
No months with tough weather, but these are only average.
Highs 9°C to 14°C · 15–26 rain days
Weather by month
Average highs and lows, rain days, sunshine and our month score out of 10.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9°C / -2°C | 15 days (80 mm) | 9.2 h/day | 4.1/10 |
| February | 10°C / 0°C | 20 days (126 mm) | 9.1 h/day | 4.5/10 |
| March | 14°C / 3°C | 26 days (192 mm) | 10.0 h/day | 5.7/10 |
| April | 17°C / 7°C | 26 days (216 mm) | 10.4 h/day | 6.7/10 |
| Best month: May | 19°C / 10°C | 30 days (329 mm) | 10.1 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| June | 21°C / 13°C | 30 days (499 mm) | 8.8 h/day | 6.9/10 |
| July | 21°C / 15°C | 31 days (632 mm) | 7.0 h/day | 6.7/10 |
| August | 22°C / 14°C | 31 days (510 mm) | 7.8 h/day | 6.8/10 |
| September | 20°C / 13°C | 29 days (384 mm) | 8.6 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| Best month: October | 18°C / 9°C | 24 days (208 mm) | 9.5 h/day | 7.1/10 |
| November | 15°C / 5°C | 17 days (103 mm) | 9.6 h/day | 6.6/10 |
| December | 12°C / 1°C | 15 days (81 mm) | 9.1 h/day | 5.6/10 |
Figures for Thimphu; the country's best months are weighted across its cities. Best months are highlighted. How we score months
Month by month
9°C / -2°C · 15 rain days · 9.2 h sun
January is the coldest month in Thimphu. Highs reach about 8.9°C and lows fall to -1.8°C, so nights are below freezing. Rain falls on about 15 days, but the total is low at 80 mm, and there are about 9.2 hours of sun a day. It scores 4.1, the lowest of the year, with a verdict of ok.
10°C / 0°C · 20 rain days · 9.1 h sun
February is still cold, with highs of 10.1°C and lows near 0.3°C, so nights stay close to freezing. Rain days rise to about 20, with 126 mm in the month. Sunshine holds at about 9.1 hours a day. The score is 4.5 and the verdict is ok.
14°C / 3°C · 26 rain days · 10.0 h sun
March warms up, with highs of 13.7°C and lows of 3.3°C. Rain becomes more frequent, falling on about 26 days and bringing 192 mm. You still get about 10 hours of sun a day. It scores 5.7, a verdict of ok.
17°C / 7°C · 26 rain days · 10.4 h sun
April brings mild days, with highs of 16.8°C and lows of 6.6°C. Rain falls on about 26 days, with 216 mm in total. April has the most sunshine of the year, at about 10.4 hours a day. It scores 6.7 and is rated good.
19°C / 10°C · 30 rain days · 10.1 h sun
May is warm, with highs of 18.5°C and lows of 9.6°C. Rain falls on almost every day, about 30 days in the month, and the total climbs to 329 mm. Sunshine is still good at about 10.1 hours a day. It scores 7 and is rated good, among the highest scores of the year.
21°C / 13°C · 30 rain days · 8.8 h sun
June is warm, with highs of 20.7°C and lows of 13.2°C, but the weather is wet. Rain falls on about 30 days and the total jumps to 499 mm. Sunshine drops to about 8.8 hours a day. It still scores 6.9 and is rated good.
21°C / 15°C · 31 rain days · 7.0 h sun
July is the wettest month, and the weather is tough for that reason. Rain falls on about 31 days, with 632 mm in total, and sunshine is the lowest of the year at about 7 hours a day. Highs are a mild 21.2°C and lows 14.7°C. It scores 6.7 and is rated good.
22°C / 14°C · 31 rain days · 7.8 h sun
August has the warmest days of the year, with highs of 21.6°C and lows of 14.3°C. It is also very wet: rain falls on about 31 days and brings 510 mm. Sunshine is low at about 7.8 hours a day. It scores 6.8 and is rated good.
20°C / 13°C · 29 rain days · 8.6 h sun
September stays warm, with highs of 20.4°C and lows of 12.8°C. Rain still falls on about 29 days, but the total drops to 384 mm. Sunshine rises to about 8.6 hours a day. It scores 7 and is rated good.
18°C / 9°C · 24 rain days · 9.5 h sun
October has the highest score of the year, at 7.1, and is rated good. Highs are a comfortable 17.5°C and lows 8.5°C. Rain falls on about 24 days, but the total falls to 208 mm. Sunshine is about 9.5 hours a day.
15°C / 5°C · 17 rain days · 9.6 h sun
November is cool and drier. Highs reach 14.6°C and lows drop to 4.7°C. Rain days fall to about 17, with only 103 mm in the month, and there are about 9.6 hours of sun a day. It scores 6.6 and is rated good.
12°C / 1°C · 15 rain days · 9.1 h sun
December is cold, with highs of 11.5°C and lows of 1.2°C, so nights are close to freezing. It has the fewest rain days of the year, about 15, and only 81 mm of rain. Sunshine is about 9.1 hours a day. It scores 5.6, a verdict of ok.
By trip type
City sightseeing
October and May suit city visits in Thimphu. October brings highs of 17.5°C, lows of 8.5°C and 208 mm of rain. May is a little warmer at 18.5°C with 10.1 sun hours a day, but wetter, with 329 mm of rain over about 30 rain days.
Hiking & nature
November and October are best for hiking. November is the drier of the two, with 103 mm of rain over 17.4 days and 9.6 sun hours, but nights drop to 4.7°C. October is milder at 17.5°C but has 208 mm of rain.
Keep planning
FAQ
Yes, October is the top-scoring month, with a score of 7.1 out of 10. In Thimphu, days reach about 17.5°C and nights drop to 8.5°C. Rain falls to 208 mm, down from 384 mm in September, and you get about 9.5 hours of sunshine a day. It is still not dry, though: there are around 24 rain days in the month.
July works if you can accept a lot of rain. It is Thimphu's wettest month, with 632 mm and rain on almost every day. Sunshine drops to 7 hours a day, the lowest of the year. It is also the warmest time, with highs of 21.2°C and lows of 14.7°C. July still scores 6.7 out of 10, which counts as good.
Yes, January is cold, and nights in Thimphu fall below freezing to about -1.8°C. Days reach only 8.9°C. In return, January is one of the driest months, with 80 mm of rain on about 15 days and around 9.2 hours of sunshine a day. It scores 4.1 out of 10, the lowest of the year, so pack warm layers.
October and May are the best months, with scores of 7.1 and 7. Both bring mild weather in Thimphu: highs of 17.5°C in October and 18.5°C in May. October is the drier choice, with 208 mm of rain against 329 mm in May. May has rain on almost every day, so expect some wet hours on either trip.
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