Phuentsholing in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Phuentsholing sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 40 mm of rain over about 8 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 21°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Phuentsholing's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Phuentsholing's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 11°C
- Rainfall
- 40 mm
- 8 wet days
- Avg wind
- 3 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.0
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Phuentsholing in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 21°C.
A typical winter day in Phuentsholing reaches about 21°C and drops to 11°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
Phuentsholing weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19° / 10° | 13 | 2.5 | 10.5 | 7.7 |
| Feb | 22° / 12° | 21 | 4 | 11.1 | 7.9 |
| Mar | 25° / 16° | 36 | 7.1 | 11.8 | 7.7 |
| Apr | 27° / 19° | 83 | 15.2 | 12.6 | 5.8 |
| May | 27° / 21° | 255 | 25.1 | 13.3 | 4.4 |
| Jun | 27° / 23° | 705 | 29 | 13.7 | 3.4 |
| Jul | 27° / 23° | 1021 | 30.9 | 13.5 | 3.2 |
| Aug | 28° / 23° | 657 | 30.7 | 12.9 | 3.2 |
| Sep | 27° / 22° | 418 | 26.1 | 12.2 | 3.9 |
| Oct | 26° / 19° | 107 | 8.9 | 11.4 | 7.2 |
| Nov | 24° / 15° | 6 | 1.5 | 10.7 | 8.9 |
| Dec | 21° / 11° | 6 | 1.3 | 10.3 | 8.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Phuentsholing gets around 40 mm of rain over 8 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 3 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 24 min in early December to 11 h 24 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 3.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Phuentsholing
None of Phuentsholing's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Phuentsholing's monsoon runs June–August, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Phuentsholing?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is one of the better times to visit Phuentsholing for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Phuentsholing in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Phuentsholing sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 11°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 8 days see rain.
UV index in Phuentsholing in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Phuentsholing peaks around July 17 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 13 at about 4 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 4 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | High | High | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | Moderate |
| Feb | 5 | Moderate |
| Mar | 9 | Very high |
| Apr | 7 | Very high |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Extreme |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 5 | High |
| Dec | 4 | Moderate |
Air quality in Phuentsholing in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Phuentsholing is worst in February — around 79 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.1× the cleanest month (July, 20 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 71 | 79 | 65 | 54 | 39 | 28 | 20 | 24 | 29 | 41 | 52 | 62 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 79 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 65 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 54 | Poor |
| May | 39 | Poor |
| Jun | 28 | Moderate |
| Jul | 20 | Moderate |
| Aug | 24 | Moderate |
| Sep | 29 | Moderate |
| Oct | 41 | Poor |
| Nov | 52 | Poor |
| Dec | 62 | Unhealthy |
Where is Phuentsholing?
Phuentsholing sits at 26.9°N, 89.4°E, 330 m above sea level, in Bhutan. The nearest listed city is Paro, 64 km away.
Topography around Phuentsholing
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Phuentsholing.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Phuentsholing has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 594 m around an average of 290 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,634 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,184 m.
The land around Phuentsholing is covered by trees (62%) within 3 km, trees (87%) within 16 km, and trees (71%) and cropland (21%) within 80 km.
Bhutan travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type C / D / F / G / M
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 23% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $4,493
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.1 / 10
- World Happiness, 2018
- Safe drinking water
- 66%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 2.5
- per 100k, 2020
- Road deaths
- 16.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 473
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Phuentsholing (26.8516°, 89.3884°, elevation 330 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.