Punakha in Fall
In fall (September, October and November), Punakha sees average daytime highs around 17°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 680 mm of precipitation over about 67 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 20°C in early September to 12°C by late November. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels dry.
Fall is Punakha's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Punakha's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 17°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 8°C
- Precipitation
- 680 mm
- 67 wet days
- Avg wind
- 3 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.5
- best season of the year
- Months
- Sep · Oct · Nov
Temperature in Punakha in Fall
Over the season highs ease from about 20°C in early September to 12°C by late November.
A typical fall day in Punakha reaches about 17°C and drops to 8°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is September, the coolest November.
How fall really feels in Punakha
Once humidity and wind are folded in, fall brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
fall sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Punakha weather by month
How the three fall months (September, October and November) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8° / -1° | 162 | 20.9 | 14.1 | 10.5 | 1.1 |
| Feb | 10° / 1° | 192 | 22.7 | 11.3 | 11 | 1.4 |
| Mar | 13° / 3° | 242 | 27.1 | 4.9 | 11.8 | 2.1 |
| Apr | 16° / 7° | 208 | 26.6 | 0.2 | 12.6 | 3.1 |
| May | 19° / 10° | 265 | 28.5 | 0 | 13.3 | 3.5 |
| Jun | 20° / 13° | 501 | 29.5 | 0 | 13.7 | 3.2 |
| Jul | 20° / 14° | 735 | 30.9 | 0 | 13.6 | 3.1 |
| Aug | 20° / 14° | 571 | 30.4 | 0 | 13 | 3.2 |
| Sep | 19° / 12° | 385 | 27.9 | 0 | 12.2 | 3.4 |
| Oct | 17° / 8° | 185 | 21.7 | 0 | 11.3 | 4.0 |
| Nov | 14° / 4° | 111 | 17.4 | 0.4 | 10.6 | 3.2 |
| Dec | 10° / 1° | 116 | 18.8 | 5.8 | 10.3 | 2.0 |
Cloud cover in Fall
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time across fall.
Chance of precipitation in Fall
Punakha gets around 680 mm of rain and snow over 67 wet days across fall. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Fall
Most of fall feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Fall
Winds average 3 km/h across fall.
Sunrise & sunset in Fall
Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 min in early September to 10 h 24 min by late November. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Fall
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across fall, about 3.4 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Punakha
In fall, Punakha overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Punakha's rainy season runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is fall a good time to visit Punakha?
Our two travel scores rate fall for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
fall is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Punakha.
What to pack for Punakha in Fall
From fall's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In fall, Punakha sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 8°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: a warm layer. About 67 days see rain.
UV index in Punakha in Fall
Clear-sky midday UV across fall averages around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Punakha peaks around July 12 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 5 (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) | 5 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 5 |
| Level | Moderate | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | Moderate |
| Feb | 7 | High |
| Mar | 10 | Very high |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 14 | Extreme |
| Jul | 15 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 6 | High |
| Dec | 5 | Moderate |
Air quality in Punakha in Fall
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where fall falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Punakha is worst in February — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.4× the cleanest month (September, 4 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) | 7 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 16 | Moderate |
| Mar | 15 | Moderate |
| Apr | 15 | Moderate |
| May | 10 | Good |
| Jun | 6 | Good |
| Jul | 4 | Good |
| Aug | 4 | Good |
| Sep | 4 | Good |
| Oct | 4 | Good |
| Nov | 5 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is Punakha?
Punakha sits at 27.6°N, 89.9°E, 1,293 m above sea level, in Bhutan. The nearest listed city is Thimphu, 27 km away.
Topography around Punakha
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Punakha.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Punakha has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,103 m around an average of 1,495 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,669 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 7,227 m.
The land around Punakha is covered by trees (62%) and grassland (21%) within 3 km, trees (88%) within 16 km, and trees (59%) 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 Punakha (27.5914°, 89.8774°, elevation 1,293 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.