AI-generatedThimphu at a glance
- Best time
- May – Sep
- Warmest month
- Aug · 20°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,250 h
- Rain a year
- 5,097 mm
- Climate
- Mountain
- Time zone
- UTC+6
- Elevation
- 2,320 m
Climate in Thimphu
Thimphu has a mountain climate: summers are fresh, winters cold and snowy. August is the warmest month with average highs of 20 °C, while January is the coolest at 7 °C. With around 1,250 hours of sunshine a year, Thimphu is rather dull; April is the sunniest month with 4.1 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Fair
Best time to visit: May – September
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 11°
- Midday, 13:00: about 16°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 15°
- Evening, 20:00: about 11°
- Night, 23:00: about 10°
06:0017:34
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 05:46–06:32 · evening 17:02–17:48
- Blue hour
- Morning 05:37–05:46 · evening 17:48–17:57
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.
What is the weather like in Thimphu in October?
In October, Thimphu is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. Expect around 4 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 Thimphu.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 33 min06:00 – 17:34
- 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 more
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+6Asia/Thimphu
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %83 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %18 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sunshine hours in Thimphu
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 4.1 of 11.6 hours of daylight in Thimphu, 35 % of the day.
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.
UV index in Thimphu
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 14).
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 35 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, 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.
Rain in Thimphu: 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, Thimphu has about 24 rainy days with 279 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Thimphu
How breezy and how cloudy Thimphu 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 Thimphu typically peaks at 6 km/h during the day: Beaufort 2, light air.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 67 % of the sky over Thimphu: mostly cloudy, with about 4.1 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.
Snow in Thimphu
Snow is possible in Thimphu, 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 Thimphu.
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.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Thimphu
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Frost below 0°
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
ColdOctober: nights around 7°. The room should be heated.
The coolest nights are in January (−2°), the warmest in July (14°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from October to April, 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 | 1 | 7° | −2° | 3.3 h | 22 | 223 |
| FebruaryFeb | 2 | 8° | 0° | 3.2 h | 24 | 284 |
| MarchMar | 20 | 12° | 2° | 3.7 h | 28 | 344 |
| AprilApr | 41 | 16° | 5° | 4.1 h | 29 | 361 |
| MayMay | 54 | 18° | 9° | 4.1 h | 30 | 455 |
| JuneJun | 51 | 20° | 12° | 3.3 h | 30 | 730 |
| JulyJul | 50 | 20° | 14° | 2.3 h | 31 | 930 |
| AugustAug | 50 | 20° | 14° | 2.7 h | 31 | 681 |
| SeptemberSep | 51 | 19° | 12° | 3.2 h | 28 | 532 |
| OctoberOct | 45 | 16° | 7° | 4.1 h | 24 | 279 |
| NovemberNov | 33 | 13° | 3° | 3.8 h | 15 | 143 |
| DecemberDec | 11 | 10° | 0° | 3.4 h | 17 | 136 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, 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
27.47° N, 89.64° E · 2,320 m · Asia/Thimphu
Best time to visit Thimphu
The best time to visit Thimphu is from May to September. The wettest month is July with 930 mm of precipitation.
Thimphu through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Thimphu in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 12–18 °C by day
- 4 h of sun a day
- 87 rainy days in all
Thimphu in summer
Jun – Aug
Fair
- 20 °C by day
- 3 h of sun a day
- 91 rainy days in all
Thimphu in autumn
Sep – Nov
Fair
- 13–19 °C by day
- 4 h of sun a day
- 67 rainy days in all
Thimphu in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 7–10 °C by day
- 3 h of sun a day
- 63 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Thimphu for you.
Your best months: June – August
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Thimphu
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
May has the better holiday weather in Thimphu: score 54 against 45. In May, days are 2 °C warmer than in October. May has 6 more rainy days.
| Month | October | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 45 | 54better |
| Day high | 16° | 18° |
| Night low | 7° | 9° |
| Sunshine | 4.1 h | 4.1 h |
| Rainy days | 24better | 30 |
| Rainfall | 279 mmbetter | 455 mm |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
No month
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
All year
12 or more rainy days
Snow
Jan – Feb
Snow on 2 or more days
Thimphu month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
1January7° · 3 h
In January, Thimphu is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 3 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 not an ideal month for a holiday in Thimphu.
Thimphu in January2February8° · 3 h
In February, Thimphu is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (0 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 3 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 not an ideal month for a holiday in Thimphu.
Thimphu in February20March12° · 4 h
In March, Thimphu is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. It rains often – on about 28 days, adding up to 344 mm. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Thimphu.
Thimphu in March41April16° · 4 h
In April, Thimphu is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. Expect around 4 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 Thimphu.
Thimphu in April54May18° · 4 h
In May, Thimphu is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. Expect around 4 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 Thimphu.
Thimphu in May51June20° · 3 h
In June, Thimphu is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 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 Thimphu.
Thimphu in June50July20° · 2 h
In July, Thimphu is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 31 days, adding up to 930 mm. All in all, July is a so-so month for a holiday in Thimphu.
Thimphu in July50August20° · 3 h
In August, Thimphu is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 31 days, adding up to 681 mm. All in all, August is a so-so month for a holiday in Thimphu.
Thimphu in August51September19° · 3 h
In September, Thimphu is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 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 Thimphu.
Thimphu in September45October16° · 4 h
In October, Thimphu is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. Expect around 4 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 Thimphu.
Thimphu in October33November13° · 4 h
In November, Thimphu is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 143 mm. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Thimphu.
Thimphu in November11December10° · 3 h
In December, Thimphu is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 0 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 17 days, adding up to 136 mm. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Thimphu.
Thimphu in DecemberThimphu compared
Put Thimphu side by side with another destination.
No destination found
Thimphu vs. Guwahati
In October Guwahati has the better holiday weather (score 60 vs. 45). During the day Guwahati is 13 °C warmer than Thimphu. Guwahati gets 2 more hours of sunshine a day.
| in October | Thimphu | Guwahati |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 45 | 60 |
| Daytime high | 16° | 29° |
| Sunshine | 4 h | 6 h |
| Rainy days | 24 | 12 |
| Best time | May – Sep | Nov – Feb |
Through the year
Planning a trip to Thimphu
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Thimphu 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.
Thimphu has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 53) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 6).
- 35
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 14 °C by day
- 4.0 h of sun a day
- 28 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 53
May half-term
May – Jun
FairBest holidays
- 18 °C by day
- 3.9 h of sun a day
- 30 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 50
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Fair
- 20 °C by day
- 2.6 h of sun a day
- 31 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 45
October half-term
Oct
Fair
- 16 °C by day
- 4.1 h of sun a day
- 24 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 6
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 8 °C by day
- 3.4 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
- 7,660 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.
Frequently asked questions about Thimphu
When is the best time to visit Thimphu?
The best time to visit Thimphu is from May to September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Thimphu?
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 20 °C and nights around 14 °C. January is the coolest month at 7 °C.
When does it rain most in Thimphu?
The wettest month is July with 930 mm of precipitation. The driest month is December with 136 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Thimphu get?
Thimphu gets around 1,250 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is April with 4.1 hours a day; in July there are 2.3 hours a day.
What time zone is Thimphu in?
Thimphu uses the time zone Asia/Thimphu, at UTC+6 all year.
How long is the flight from London to Thimphu?
A nonstop flight from London to Thimphu takes about 9 h 45 min, for a straight-line distance of about 7,660 km.
Which school holidays are best for Thimphu?
Thimphu has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 53) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 6). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 35, May half-term 53, Summer holidays 50, October half-term 45, Christmas holidays 6.
Near Thimphu
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Thimphu
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Thimphu's – good alternatives.