Best time to visit Delhi
The best time to visit Delhi is November–March, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Delhi, Delhi, India
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19.4 °C / 67 °F | 8.7 °C / 48 °F | 29 mm / 1.1 in | best month |
| February | 24.1 °C / 75 °F | 12.1 °C / 54 °F | 34 mm / 1.3 in | best month |
| March | 29.7 °C / 85 °F | 16.7 °C / 62 °F | 31 mm / 1.2 in | best month |
| April | 36.5 °C / 98 °F | 22.3 °C / 72 °F | 12 mm / 0.5 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 38.9 °C / 102 °F | 26.2 °C / 79 °F | 25 mm / 1 in | neither best nor good |
| June | 38.1 °C / 101 °F | 28.3 °C / 83 °F | 63 mm / 2.5 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 34.1 °C / 93 °F | 27.7 °C / 82 °F | 202 mm / 8 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 33.2 °C / 92 °F | 27.2 °C / 81 °F | 172 mm / 6.8 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 33.3 °C / 92 °F | 25.7 °C / 78 °F | 124 mm / 4.9 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 32.5 °C / 91 °F | 20.5 °C / 69 °F | 19 mm / 0.7 in | good month |
| November | 27.5 °C / 82 °F | 14.5 °C / 58 °F | 5 mm / 0.2 in | best month |
| December | 22 °C / 72 °F | 9.8 °C / 50 °F | 7 mm / 0.3 in | best month |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: best
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: best
- Best
- November–March
- Good
- October
Delhi is best for exploring outdoors in the cool, dry winter from November through March, and October is a good, if still warm, shoulder month. April through September turn hot to searingly hot, with July-September adding heavy, humid monsoon rain that further discourages a day on foot.
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.9 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 19.4 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 29 mm / 1.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 89%, wet days 2.9 days, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, average daily low 8.7 °C / 48 °F.
Against: relative humidity 77%.
Also on: New Delhi World Book Fair, Republic Day Parade.
Watch out for: Winter smog.
February · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.5 °C / 74 °F, average daily high 24.1 °C / 75 °F, precipitation 34 mm / 1.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 89%, wet days 3.4 days, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily low 12.1 °C / 54 °F, relative humidity 70%.
March · best
In its favour: precipitation 31 mm / 1.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, feels like (high) 30.4 °C / 87 °F, wet days 4.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.9 days, average daily low 16.7 °C / 62 °F, relative humidity 62%.
Against: average daily high 29.7 °C / 85 °F.
Also on: Holi.
Watch out for: Holi crowds.
October · good
In its favour: precipitation 19 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, wet days 2 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, relative humidity 67%, average daily low 20.5 °C / 69 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 34.8 °C / 95 °F, average daily high 32.5 °C / 91 °F.
Also on: Diwali, Dussehra / Ram Lila.
Watch out for: Crop-burning season smoke.
November · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.3 °C / 81 °F, precipitation 5 mm / 0.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, average daily high 27.5 °C / 82 °F, wet days 1.3 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 14.5 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 68%.
Also on: Diwali.
Watch out for: Crop-burning season smoke.
December · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 20.5 °C / 69 °F, average daily high 22 °C / 72 °F, precipitation 7 mm / 0.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 1.4 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, average daily low 9.8 °C / 50 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Watch out for: Winter smog.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is 307 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 17.9 °C | 23.5 °C | 30.4 °C | 37.3 °C | 41.6 °C | 42.4 °C | 40.8 °C | 39.8 °C | 38.9 °C | 34.8 °C | 27.3 °C | 20.5 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.1 days | 1.4 days | 0.9 days | 0.1 days | 0.3 days | 1.9 days | 6.8 days | 6 days | 3.8 days | 0.3 days | 0.1 days | 0.2 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 4 am | 8 am | 6 pm | 5 pm | 6 pm | 4 am | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 5 am | 4 pm | 7 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 9.4 h | 10 h | 11.4 h | 11.9 h | 12.6 h | 12 h | 9.2 h | 8.8 h | 10 h | 10.8 h | 10.3 h | 9.6 h |
| Relative humidity | 77% | 70% | 62% | 43% | 45% | 56% | 78% | 80% | 77% | 67% | 68% | 74% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 121.4 µg/m³ | 69.9 µg/m³ | 65 µg/m³ | 52.4 µg/m³ | 64 µg/m³ | 58.9 µg/m³ | 48.2 µg/m³ | 48 µg/m³ | 48.6 µg/m³ | 71.3 µg/m³ | 104.5 µg/m³ | 106.7 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 182.2 µg/m³ | 107.8 µg/m³ | 99.3 µg/m³ | 76.7 µg/m³ | 93.2 µg/m³ | 84.9 µg/m³ | 78.5 µg/m³ | 75.4 µg/m³ | 81.5 µg/m³ | 108.6 µg/m³ | 152 µg/m³ | 162.1 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Republic Day Parade
26–28 January
- New Delhi World Book Fair
10–20 January
- Holi
March, dates vary from year to year
- Independence Day flag-hoisting at Red Fort
15 August
- Dussehra / Ram Lila
September and October, dates vary from year to year
- Diwali
October and November, dates vary from year to year
Worth knowing before you go
- Winter smog
January and December
- Holi crowds
March, dates vary from year to year
- Crop-burning season smoke
20 September–10 November
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Humayun's Tomb
7 km away
- Qutb complex
15 km away