Kolkata in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Kolkata sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 47 mm of rain over about 5 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 28°C in early December to 31°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 78% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Kolkata's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Kolkata's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 15°C
- Rainfall
- 47 mm
- 5 wet days
- Avg wind
- 7 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.2
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Kolkata in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 28°C in early December to 31°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Kolkata reaches about 27°C and drops to 15°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Kolkata
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Kolkata 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 | 26° / 14° | 13 | 1.7 | 10.8 | 8.9 |
| Feb | 29° / 17° | 24 | 2.7 | 11.2 | 7.1 |
| Mar | 33° / 22° | 30 | 4.3 | 11.8 | 4.3 |
| Apr | 35° / 26° | 68 | 8.8 | 12.5 | 2.6 |
| May | 35° / 27° | 122 | 11.7 | 13.1 | 2.3 |
| Jun | 33° / 27° | 265 | 21.9 | 13.4 | 2.2 |
| Jul | 32° / 27° | 348 | 28.8 | 13.2 | 2.2 |
| Aug | 32° / 27° | 308 | 29.3 | 12.8 | 2.2 |
| Sep | 32° / 26° | 250 | 24.9 | 12.1 | 2.5 |
| Oct | 31° / 24° | 131 | 12.9 | 11.5 | 4.3 |
| Nov | 29° / 19° | 29 | 2.2 | 10.9 | 6.8 |
| Dec | 26° / 15° | 10 | 1 | 10.6 | 8.7 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 78% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Kolkata gets around 47 mm of rain over 5 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 7 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 42 min in early December to 11 h 30 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 4.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Kolkata
In winter, Kolkata overlaps its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Kolkata sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.
Kolkata's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Kolkata?
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 Kolkata for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Kolkata in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Kolkata sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 15°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 5 days see rain.
UV index in Kolkata in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages 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 Kolkata peaks around July 19 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 15 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 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Level | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Moderate | High | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | Moderate |
| Feb | 5 | High |
| Mar | 8 | Very high |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 13 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 5 | Moderate |
| Nov | 5 | High |
| Dec | 5 | Moderate |
Air quality in Kolkata 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 Kolkata is worst in January — around 112 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 6.8× the cleanest month (July, 17 µg/m³).
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Kolkata's WHO annual average of 55.8 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 112 | 91 | 58 | 30 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 28 | 58 | 103 | 111 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 112 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 91 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 58 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 30 | Moderate |
| May | 22 | Moderate |
| Jun | 19 | Moderate |
| Jul | 17 | Moderate |
| Aug | 21 | Moderate |
| Sep | 28 | Moderate |
| Oct | 58 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 103 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 111 | Unhealthy |
Where is Kolkata?
Kolkata sits at 22.6°N, 88.4°E, 11 m above sea level, in India. The nearest listed city is Jessore, 110 km away.
Topography around Kolkata
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kolkata.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Kolkata has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 24 m around an average of 9 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 34 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m.
The land around Kolkata is covered by artificial surfaces (75%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (42%) and trees (39%) within 16 km, and cropland (50%) and trees (33%) within 80 km.
India travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / D / M
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 23% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $2,702
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.5 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 76%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 2.8
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 15.6
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 484
- 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 Kolkata (22.5626°, 88.363°, elevation 11 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.