Punakha weather in January

In January, Punakha sees average daytime highs of 8°C and overnight lows near -1°C, with 162 mm of precipitation across 20.9 wet days and about 10.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 8°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 18 min at the start of January to 10 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Punakha's 4th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Punakha's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12th warmest
Overnight low
-1°
1st coldest
Precipitation
162 mm
20.9 wet days
Daylight
10 h 24 min
6:57 AM – 5:23 PM
Cloud cover
68%
4th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
3.02 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.1
out of 10

Punakha is city in Bhutan.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 8°C through the month.

A typical January day in Punakha reaches about 8°C in the afternoon and slips back to -1°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 4°C and 13°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 2°C cooler than December and about 1°C cooler than February.

-10°-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
19-1
29-1
39-1
49-1
59-1
68-1
78-1
88-1
98-1
108-1
118-1
128-1
138-1
148-1
158-1
168-1
178-1
188-1
198-1
208-1
218-1
228-1
238-1
2480
2580
2680
2780
2880
2990
3090
3190

How January really feels in Punakha

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
31
wind chill below the day's low

The story in January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Punakha weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -1°16220.914.110.51.1
Feb10° / 19222.711.3111.4
Mar13° / 24227.14.911.82.1
Apr16° / 20826.60.212.63.1
May19° / 10°26528.5013.33.5
Jun20° / 13°50129.5013.73.2
Jul20° / 14°73530.9013.63.1
Aug20° / 14°57130.40133.2
Sep19° / 12°38527.9012.23.4
Oct17° / 18521.7011.34.0
Nov14° / 11117.40.410.63.2
Dec10° / 11618.85.810.32.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 67%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
24060
34060
43961
53961
63862
73763
83664
93565
103565
113466
123466
133367
143466
153367
163367
173268
183268
193169
203070
213070
223070
232971
242971
252971
262971
272971
282971
292971
302971
312971

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Punakha gets around 162 mm of rain and snow over 20.9 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 67% and peaks near 74% on the wettest days, and about 14 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
16134
26135
36236
46337
56339
66440
76441
86542
96543
106643
116644
126645
136646
146746
156747
166747
176747
186848
196848
206848
216948
226948
237049
247049
257149
267249
277249
287349
297349
307448
317448

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in January

Winds average 4 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 3 km/h on the calmest days to 4 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
13calm
23calm
33calm
43calm
53calm
63calm
73calm
83calm
93calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 18 min at the start of January to 10 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 24 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:55 AM to 6:53 AM, and sunset from 5:12 PM to 5:34 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.36:555:12
210.36:555:13
310.36:565:13
410.36:565:14
510.36:565:15
610.36:565:15
710.36:565:16
810.36:575:17
910.36:575:18
1010.46:575:18
1110.46:575:19
1210.46:575:20
1310.46:575:20
1410.46:575:21
1510.46:575:22
1610.46:575:23
1710.46:575:24
1810.56:575:24
1910.56:575:25
2010.56:565:26
2110.56:565:27
2210.56:565:27
2310.56:565:28
2410.66:565:29
2510.66:555:30
2610.66:555:31
2710.66:555:31
2810.66:545:32
2910.66:545:33
3010.76:545:34
3110.76:535:34

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 3.02 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.64 kWh/m² to a high of 4.96 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 3.02 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.9Moderate
22.9Moderate
32.9Moderate
43.0Moderate
53.0Moderate
63.0Moderate
73.0Moderate
83.0Moderate
93.0Moderate
103.0Moderate
113.0Moderate
123.0Moderate
133.0Moderate
143.0Moderate
153.0Moderate
163.0Moderate
173.0Moderate
183.0Moderate
193.0Moderate
203.0Moderate
213.0Moderate
223.0Moderate
233.0Moderate
243.1Moderate
253.1Moderate
263.1Moderate
273.1Moderate
283.1Moderate
293.2Moderate
303.2Moderate
313.2Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Punakha

In seasonPeak

None of Punakha's seasonal hazards are active in January. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Punakha's rainy season runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Punakha?

Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

1.1
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Punakha.

What to pack for Punakha in January

From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In January, Punakha sees daytime highs around 8°C and nights near -1°C. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. About 21 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Punakha in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 5 — enough to warrant sun protection. 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighJul 12UV 15Dec 23UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan5Moderate
Feb7High
Mar10Very high
Apr11Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul15Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct9Very high
Nov6High
Dec5Moderate

Air quality in Punakha in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January 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).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodFeb 2116 µg/m³Sep 164 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb16Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May10Good
Jun6Good
Jul4Good
Aug4Good
Sep4Good
Oct4Good
Nov5Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

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.

ThimphuParoTrongsaTsirangJakarPhuentsholingMongarTrashigang

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.

3 km
1,103 m
16 km
2,669 m
80 km
7,227 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewatermoss and lichen
January weather nearby: Thimphu 27 km · Paro 49 km · Trongsa 63 km · Tsirang 68 km · Jakar 86 km · Phuentsholing 95 km · Mongar 139 km · Trashigang 168 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
Lamaistic Buddhist 75%Indian- and Nepali-influenced Hinduism 22%other 3%

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. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).