Will It Rain in Kathmandu Today?

Kathmandu is a carry-an-umbrella city: rain on roughly 29% of days

Kathmandu records about 1500mm of rain across roughly 105 wet days a year, which is a 29% chance on an average day. July is the wettest month at 380mm (25% of the annual total) and December the driest at 4mm. Local rain type: monsoon. Kathmandu's monsoon (June-September) makes trekking extremely difficult. Clear mountain views are best in October-November and March-April.

Chance of rain on an average day: 29%

Rainfall climatology for Kathmandu. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.

Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.

Key numbers for Kathmandu

Annual rainfall1500mm
Rain days per year105
Odds on an average day29%
Wettest monthJuly — 380mm over 28 days
Driest monthDecember — 4mm over 1 days
Rain typemonsoon
Best dry windowOctober and November offer the clearest skies and best Himalayan views.
Worst rain windowJuly and August bring the heaviest monsoon rain — landslides can close mountain roads.

What the data actually tells you

Wettest against driest

July delivers 9400% more rain than December (380mm vs 4mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.

How concentrated the rain is

25% of the year's rain falls in July alone, so Kathmandu has a genuine wet season rather than evenly spread showers.

Umbrella or jacket

Kathmandu rain arrives in short, heavy bursts — shelter and timing matter more than gear.

Wet-day frequency

Rain falls on about 28 days in July against 1 in December — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.

Monthly rainfall in Kathmandu

Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.

MonthRainfallRain daysChance on a given dayHighs
January15mm13%19°C
February21mm27%19°C
March30mm27%21°C
April53mm413%23°C
May120mm930%26°C
June260mm1963%28°C
July380mm2893%30°C
August310mm2273%30°C
September198mm1447%28°C
October48mm310%26°C
November8mm13%23°C
December4mm13%21°C

Planning around rain in Kathmandu

How we turn rain data into a yes or no

Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Kathmandu we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.

FactorWeightWhat it measures
Hourly probability 40% Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours.
Expected volume 30% Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking.
Timing & duration 20% When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window.
Local rain type 10% Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear.

Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.

Frequently asked questions

How often does it rain in Kathmandu?

Kathmandu records rain on roughly 105 days a year — about a 29% chance on any given day — totalling around 1500mm.

What is the rainiest month in Kathmandu?

July, with about 380mm over 28 rain days. That is 25% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.

When is the driest time in Kathmandu?

December is the driest month at 4mm across roughly 1 days. October and November offer the clearest skies and best Himalayan views.

Do I need an umbrella in Kathmandu?

Kathmandu's monsoon (June-September) makes trekking extremely difficult. Clear mountain views are best in October-November and March-April.

Does a 40% rain probability mean it will rain for 40% of the day?

No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.

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