The city is the capital of the state of West Bengal and is located in eastern India, at nearly 23 degrees north latitude.
There is a sunny and pleasantly warm winter from December to February, when, however, the night temperature can sometimes drop below 10 °C (50 °F), so it's better to bring a sweater and a light jacket. Then, there is a very hot period from March to May, before the monsoon, when the temperature can reach or exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in the worst moments, and a rainy season from June to mid-October, characterized by stifling weather, widespread cloudiness and frequent rains. From mid-October to mid-November, before the winter, there is a period lasting one month with good weather and high temperatures, around 30 °C (86 °F).
season goes roughly from June 5 to October 15, but already in May (and more rarely in April), the first showers in the afternoon can occur. Total annual rainfall is 1,750 millimeters (69 inches). From November to April, the sun shines and it almost never rains.
in Calcutta often shines in the dry season, while the sky is often cloudy in the rainy season.
, tropical storms coming from the Bay of Bengal, with a peak of intensity before and after the monsoon, namely from late April to early June and in October-November. The Bengal region is particularly prone to flooding because of the conformation of the territory (we are in the area of the huge Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, and the river of the city, the Hooghly, is a branch of the Ganges).
In recent times, some cyclones that caused major damage in Calcutta were Cyclone Aila, in late May 2009 and Cyclone Amphan, around May 20, 2020. Occasionally, a cyclone can also arrive at the beginning of December, as happened on 11 December 1981 and on 6 December 2021.
is warm enough for swimming throughout the year, although it drops to 23/24 °C (73/75 °F) in January and February.
The best time to visit Kolkata is from mid-December to February. In November and in the first half of December, the rains have usually ceased, but every now and then a cyclone can still affect the area. In March, it starts to get very hot.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
19 °C, with a minimum of
12.5 °C and a maximum of
25.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
9 °C. However, it dropped to
6.6 °C in January 2013.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
30 °C. However, it reached
32 °C in January 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
12.4 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 7 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 63% of the time.
The average humidity is 69%.
The average wind speed is of
3.7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
23.4 °C. Therefore, the sea can be considered barely acceptable for swimming.
February is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
22.9 °C, with a minimum of
16.5 °C and a maximum of
29.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
12 °C. However, it dropped to
9 °C in February 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
34.5 °C. However, it reached
37.3 °C in February 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
25 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 7.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 66% of the time.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is of
4.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
24.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.
March is generally a very hot month. The average temperature is of
27.6 °C, with a minimum of
21.4 °C and a maximum of
33.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
16 °C. However, it dropped to
13 °C in March 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
37.5 °C. However, it reached
40.4 °C in March 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
30 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 7.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 62% of the time.
The average humidity is 61%.
The average wind speed is of
6 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
26.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
April is generally a very hot month. The average temperature is of
30.3 °C, with a minimum of
24.6 °C and a maximum of
36 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
20 °C. However, it dropped to
16.8 °C in April 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
39 °C. However, it reached
41.7 °C in April 2016.
Precipitation amounts to
55 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 63% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is of
9.7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
28 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
May, the hottest month of the year, is generally a very hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
30.8 °C, with a minimum of
25.6 °C and a maximum of
36 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
21 °C. However, it dropped to
17 °C in May 2000.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
39.5 °C. However, it reached
43.1 °C in May 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
155 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 7.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 57% of the time.
The average humidity is 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
29.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
June is generally a very hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
30.5 °C, with a minimum of
26.4 °C and a maximum of
34.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
23 °C. However, it dropped to
19.6 °C in June 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
38.5 °C. However, it reached
42 °C in June 1998.
Precipitation amounts to
295 mm, distributed over 13 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 30 minutes. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 33% of the time.
The average humidity is 80%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
8.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
29.6 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
July is generally a very hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
29.8 °C, with a minimum of
26.3 °C and a maximum of
33.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
24 °C. However, it dropped to
23.1 °C in July 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36.5 °C. However, it reached
38.6 °C in July 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
345 mm, distributed over 17 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 25% of the time.
The average humidity is 83%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
7.4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
29.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
August is generally a very hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
29.6 °C, with a minimum of
26.3 °C and a maximum of
33 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
24 °C. However, it dropped to
22.7 °C in August 1999.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36 °C. However, it reached
39.6 °C in August 2014.
Precipitation amounts to
345 mm, distributed over 17 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 29% of the time.
The average humidity is 84%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
6.7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
29 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
September is generally a very hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
29.6 °C, with a minimum of
25.9 °C and a maximum of
33.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
23.5 °C. However, it dropped to
22.2 °C in September 2008.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36 °C. However, it reached
37.5 °C in September 2014.
Precipitation amounts to
305 mm, distributed over 13 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 35% of the time.
The average humidity is 83%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
5.8 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
29.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
October is generally a very hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
28.1 °C, with a minimum of
23.8 °C and a maximum of
32.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
19.5 °C. However, it dropped to
15.7 °C in October 2002.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
35.5 °C. However, it reached
36.6 °C in October 2018.
Precipitation amounts to
160 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 56% of the time.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
4.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
28.9 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
November is generally a warm to hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
24.5 °C, with a minimum of
19 °C and a maximum of
30 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
15 °C. However, it dropped to
12.8 °C in November 1991.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
33 °C. However, it reached
34.7 °C in November 2009.
Precipitation amounts to
20 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 7 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 65% of the time.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
3.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
27.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
December is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
20.2 °C, with a minimum of
13.9 °C and a maximum of
26.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
10 °C. However, it dropped to
8.8 °C in December 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
30 °C. However, it reached
32.1 °C in December 2015.
Precipitation amounts to only
8.8 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 50 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 61% of the time.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
3.3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
24.8 °C. Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.