AI-generatedPunakha at a glance
- Best time
- Nov
- Warmest month
- Aug · 27°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,290 h
- Rain a year
- 5,097 mm
- Climate
- Subtropical
- Time zone
- UTC+6
- Elevation
- 1,293 m
Climate in Punakha
Punakha has a subtropical climate with warm summers and mild winters. August is the warmest month with average highs of 27 °C, while January is the coolest at 15 °C. With around 1,290 hours of sunshine a year, Punakha is rather dull; October is the sunniest month with 4.3 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Best time to visit Punakha
The best time to visit Punakha is in November. Hiking and mountain trips are best all year round except in January, when the trails are largely free of snow. Rain is frequent from January to October; the wettest month is July with 930 mm.
Punakha through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Punakha in spring
Mar – May
Fair
- 20–26 °C by day
- 4.0 h of sun a day
- 87 rainy days in all
Punakha in summer
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 27 °C by day
- 2.8 h of sun a day
- 91 rainy days in all
Punakha in autumn
Sep – Nov
Fair
- 20–26 °C by day
- 3.9 h of sun a day
- 67 rainy days in all
Punakha in winter
Dec – Feb
Fair
- 15–17 °C by day
- 3.5 h of sun a day
- 63 rainy days in all
Which month for what?
Hiking & mountain trips
All year except Jan
13–27 °C in the village, little snow
Rainy months
Jan – Oct
18 or more rainy days, often short showers and storms
Snow
Jan – Feb
Snow on 2 or more days
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Punakha for you.
Your best months: March, November
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Weather in October
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Fair
Best time to visit: November
Good forSightseeing & walks
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 18°
- Midday, 13:00: about 23°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 22°
- Evening, 20:00: about 18°
- Night, 23:00: about 17°
06:0017:33
Pleasant evenings; a light layer can help.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 05:45–06:31 · evening 17:01–17:47
- Blue hour
- Morning 05:36–05:45 · evening 17:47–17:56
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
October in Punakha compared with home
Loading the climate at home …
Early or late October?
In October, daytime highs fall from about 25° at the start of the month to 22° at the end. The days get 0.8 h shorter.
| October | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 25° | 22° |
| Night-time low | 16° | 13° |
| Daylight | 11.9 h | 11.2 h |
What is the weather like in Punakha in October?
In October, Punakha is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. Expect around 4.3 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 24 days, adding up to 279 mm. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Punakha.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 33 min06:00 – 17:33
- UV index
- 8 · very highclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 6 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 67 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+6offset from UTC
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %22 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Mountain air”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Compare two months in Punakha
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
November has the better holiday weather in Punakha: score 60 against 54. In November, days are 3 °C cooler than in October. November has 9 fewer rainy days.
| Month | October | November |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 54 | 60better |
| Daytime high | 23° | 20° |
| Night-time low | 14° | 11° |
| Sunshine | 4.3 h | 4.0 h |
| Rainy days | 24 | 15better |
| Rainfall | 279 mm | 143 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Punakha month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
47January15° · 3.5 h
In January, Punakha is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.5 hours a day. It rains often – on about 22 days, adding up to 223 mm. Snow falls on about 5 days. All in all, January is a so-so month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in January51February16° · 3.2 h
In February, Punakha is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 24 days, adding up to 284 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, February is a so-so month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in February53March20° · 3.8 h
In March, Punakha is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.8 hours a day. It rains often – on about 28 days, adding up to 344 mm. All in all, March is a so-so month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in March54April24° · 4.2 h
In April, Punakha is warm: daytime highs average 24 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. Expect around 4.2 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 29 days, adding up to 361 mm. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in April49May26° · 4.1 h
In May, Punakha is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. Expect around 4.1 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 30 days, adding up to 455 mm. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in May40June27° · 3.3 h
In June, Punakha is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 19 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 30 days, adding up to 730 mm. All in all, June is a so-so month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in June38July27° · 2.3 h
In July, Punakha is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 19 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 2.3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 31 days, adding up to 930 mm. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in July36August27° · 2.8 h
In August, Punakha is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 19 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 2.8 hours a day. It rains often – on about 31 days, adding up to 681 mm. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in August44September26° · 3.3 h
In September, Punakha is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 18 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 28 days, adding up to 532 mm. All in all, September is a so-so month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in September54October23° · 4.3 h
In October, Punakha is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. Expect around 4.3 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 24 days, adding up to 279 mm. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in October60November20° · 4.0 h
In November, Punakha is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. Expect around 4.0 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 143 mm. All in all, November is a good month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in November54December17° · 3.7 h
In December, Punakha is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.7 hours a day. It rains often – on about 17 days, adding up to 136 mm. All in all, December is a so-so month for a holiday in Punakha.
Punakha in DecemberClimate in detail
Year & climate tableWarmest in August: 27°
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Punakha
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
- Pleasant 15–20°
CoolOctober: nights around 14°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening.
The coolest nights are in January (6°), the warmest in July (19°). Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) from May to September. Nights fall below 8 °C on average from January to February, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 47 | 15° | 6° | 3.5 h | 22 | 223 |
| FebruaryFeb | 51 | 16° | 7° | 3.2 h | 24 | 284 |
| MarchMar | 53 | 20° | 10° | 3.8 h | 28 | 344 |
| AprilApr | 54 | 24° | 13° | 4.2 h | 29 | 361 |
| MayMay | 49 | 26° | 16° | 4.1 h | 30 | 455 |
| JuneJun | 40 | 27° | 19° | 3.3 h | 30 | 730 |
| JulyJul | 38 | 27° | 19° | 2.3 h | 31 | 930 |
| AugustAug | 36 | 27° | 19° | 2.8 h | 31 | 681 |
| SeptemberSep | 44 | 26° | 18° | 3.3 h | 28 | 532 |
| OctoberOct | 54 | 23° | 14° | 4.3 h | 24 | 279 |
| NovemberNov | 60 | 20° | 11° | 4.0 h | 15 | 143 |
| DecemberDec | 54 | 17° | 8° | 3.7 h | 17 | 136 |
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
27.59° N, 89.88° E · 1,293 m · Asia/Thimphu
Sunshine1,290 hours a year
Sunshine hours in Punakha
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 4.3 of 11.5 hours of daylight in Punakha, 37 % of the daylight hours.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain5,097 mm a year, most in July
Rain in Punakha: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Punakha has about 24 rainy days with 279 mm of rain in total.
UV indexUp to 13 in June
UV index in Punakha
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 8 · very highStay in the shade around midday; SPF 50, clothing, hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 13).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 15 min
- Fair skin
- about 20 min
- Light brown skin
- about 30 min
- Olive skin
- about 40 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen the time, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Wind & cloudsWindiest in March: 7 km/h
Wind and clouds in Punakha
How breezy and how cloudy Punakha is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Punakha typically peaks at 6 km/h during the day: Beaufort 2, light breeze or less.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 67 % of the sky over Punakha: mostly cloudy, with about 4.3 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Heat & humidity3 days of 30° or more a year
Heat and humidity in Punakha
How often the day gets hot in Punakha (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.
Heat calendar
- pleasant
- some hot or muggy days
- often muggy
- often hot
- hot and muggy
In October, Punakha has about 0 hot days, with an average daytime high of 23 °C: pleasant. Heat plays no part this month.
Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year
SnowChance of snow up to 45% in January
Snow in Punakha
Snow is possible in Punakha, but no month makes it likely: the chance of seeing snow during a week's stay, the days with fresh snow and how much falls. Tap a month to select it.
Snow calendar
- hardly any
- possible
- likely
- very likely
In October, it hardly ever snows in Punakha.
Snow days bring at least 1 cm of fresh snow. Fresh snow comes from ERA5 snowfall (1996–2025) at the height of the place, not on the slopes above it; the snow chance also weighs whether the snow settles. An estimate from climate averages, not a snow report.
Planning a trip to Punakha
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Punakha in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Punakha has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 54) and its weakest during the summer holidays (score 37).
- 54
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
FairBest holidays
- 23 °C by day
- 4.1 h of sun a day
- 28 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 47
May half-term
May – Jun
Fair
- 26 °C by day
- 3.9 h of sun a day
- 30 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 37
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 27 °C by day
- 2.6 h of sun a day
- 31 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 54
October half-term
Oct
Fair
- 23 °C by day
- 4.3 h of sun a day
- 24 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 51
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Fair
- 16 °C by day
- 3.6 h of sun a day
- 20 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 9 h 45 min
- Distance
- 7,670 km
- Time zone
- UTC+6
- Jet lag
- About 5 days (5 h east)
Rule of thumb for flying east: for a few days before, go to bed and get up a little earlier, and get plenty of morning light at your destination.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Good to know: Bhutan
- Currency
- Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN)
- Language
- Dzongkha
- Sockets
- Type C, D, F, G, M · 230 V
- Traffic
- Drives on the left
- Dialling code
- +975
- Emergency number
- 112
UK plugs fit
Sources: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0). Please check details before you travel.
Compare & alternatives
Compare with another place
Punakha compared
Put Punakha side by side with another destination.
Punakha vs Thimphu
In October the holiday weather in Punakha and Thimphu is about equally good (score 54 vs 53). During the day Thimphu is 5 °C cooler than Punakha.
| in October | Punakha | Thimphu |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 54 | 53 |
| Daytime high | 23° | 18° |
| Sunshine | 4 h | 4 h |
| Rainy days | 24 | 24 |
| Best time | Nov | Apr – Oct |
Through the year
Best places in the country
Bhutan in October: the best places
In October, Punakha ranks 3 of 5 destinations in this country.
- Paro18°67
- 2Phuntsholing28°55
- 3PunakhaThis page23°54
- 4Thimphu18°51
- 5Gelephu29°49
Places nearby4 places within 101 km
Near Punakha
Other destinations close by.
Places with a similar climatee.g. Shillong and Sa Pa
Places with a climate like Punakha
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Punakha's – good alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about Punakha
When is the best time to visit Punakha?
The best time to visit Punakha is in November. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Punakha?
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C and nights around 19 °C. January is the coolest month at 15 °C.
When does it rain most in Punakha?
Rain is frequent from January to October; the wettest month is July with 930 mm. The driest month is December with 136 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Punakha get?
Punakha gets around 1,290 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is October with 4.3 hours a day; in July there are 2.3 hours a day.
What time zone is Punakha in?
Punakha is on UTC+6 all year.
How long is the flight from London to Punakha?
A nonstop flight from London to Punakha takes about 9 h 45 min, for a straight-line distance of about 7,670 km.
Which school holidays are best for Punakha?
Punakha has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 54) and its weakest during the summer holidays (score 37). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 54, May half-term 47, summer holidays 37, October half-term 54, Christmas holidays 51.