Shimla weather in May
In May, Shimla sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 76 mm of rain across 12.7 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.
Highs climb over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 27°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Shimla's 4th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shimla's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 26°
- 2nd warmest
- Overnight low
- 15°
- 8th coldest
- Rainfall
- 76 mm
- 12.7 wet days
- Daylight
- 13 h 36 min
- 5:30 AM – 7:05 PM
- Cloud cover
- 40%
- 4th clearest
- Wind
- 7 km/h
- 1st windiest
- Solar energy
- 7.05 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 6.6
- out of 10
Shimla is capital of Himachal Pradesh, India.
- Air quality
- High
- PM2.5 26 µg/m³ · 2019
- Density
- 6,940/km²
- people per km²
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in May
Highs climb over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 27°C by the end.
A typical May day in Shimla reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 3°C warmer than April and on par with June.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
| Avg low (°C) | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 13 |
| 2 | 25 | 13 |
| 3 | 25 | 14 |
| 4 | 25 | 14 |
| 5 | 25 | 14 |
| 6 | 25 | 14 |
| 7 | 25 | 14 |
| 8 | 26 | 14 |
| 9 | 26 | 14 |
| 10 | 26 | 14 |
| 11 | 26 | 14 |
| 12 | 26 | 14 |
| 13 | 26 | 15 |
| 14 | 26 | 15 |
| 15 | 26 | 15 |
| 16 | 26 | 15 |
| 17 | 26 | 15 |
| 18 | 26 | 15 |
| 19 | 26 | 15 |
| 20 | 27 | 15 |
| 21 | 27 | 15 |
| 22 | 27 | 15 |
| 23 | 27 | 15 |
| 24 | 27 | 16 |
| 25 | 27 | 16 |
| 26 | 27 | 16 |
| 27 | 27 | 16 |
| 28 | 27 | 16 |
| 29 | 27 | 16 |
| 30 | 27 | 16 |
| 31 | 27 | 16 |
How May really feels in Shimla
Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Shimla weather by month
How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12° / 1° | 85 | 8.6 | 4.1 | 10.2 | 3.3 |
| Feb | 14° / 3° | 109 | 10.7 | 3.8 | 10.9 | 4.1 |
| Mar | 18° / 7° | 112 | 13.6 | 0.8 | 11.8 | 5.6 |
| Apr | 23° / 11° | 98 | 12.8 | 0 | 12.7 | 6.6 |
| May | 26° / 15° | 76 | 12.7 | 0 | 13.6 | 6.6 |
| Jun | 26° / 17° | 160 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 5.7 |
| Jul | 25° / 19° | 377 | 28.2 | 0 | 13.8 | 4.0 |
| Aug | 25° / 19° | 352 | 27.8 | 0 | 13.1 | 4.1 |
| Sep | 24° / 16° | 193 | 18.7 | 0 | 12.2 | 5.8 |
| Oct | 22° / 11° | 33 | 6.1 | 0 | 11.2 | 7.9 |
| Nov | 18° / 6° | 22 | 3.7 | 0.1 | 10.4 | 7.4 |
| Dec | 14° / 3° | 30 | 4.4 | 1.1 | 10 | 5.3 |
Cloud cover in May
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in May.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 28% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 19%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 75 | 75 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 79 | 80 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 82 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 86 | 86 | 86 | 86 | 86 | 86 | 86 |
| Cloudier (%) | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75 | 25 |
| 2 | 75 | 25 |
| 3 | 74 | 26 |
| 4 | 75 | 25 |
| 5 | 75 | 25 |
| 6 | 75 | 25 |
| 7 | 75 | 25 |
| 8 | 76 | 24 |
| 9 | 77 | 23 |
| 10 | 78 | 22 |
| 11 | 78 | 22 |
| 12 | 79 | 21 |
| 13 | 79 | 21 |
| 14 | 80 | 20 |
| 15 | 80 | 20 |
| 16 | 81 | 19 |
| 17 | 82 | 18 |
| 18 | 82 | 18 |
| 19 | 83 | 17 |
| 20 | 83 | 17 |
| 21 | 84 | 16 |
| 22 | 84 | 16 |
| 23 | 85 | 15 |
| 24 | 86 | 14 |
| 25 | 86 | 14 |
| 26 | 86 | 14 |
| 27 | 86 | 14 |
| 28 | 86 | 14 |
| 29 | 86 | 14 |
| 30 | 86 | 14 |
| 31 | 86 | 14 |
Chance of precipitation in May
Shimla gets around 76 mm of rain over 12.7 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 40% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 42 | 42 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 39 | 39 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 42 |
| 2 | 42 |
| 3 | 42 |
| 4 | 41 |
| 5 | 41 |
| 6 | 41 |
| 7 | 41 |
| 8 | 40 |
| 9 | 39 |
| 10 | 39 |
| 11 | 38 |
| 12 | 38 |
| 13 | 37 |
| 14 | 37 |
| 15 | 37 |
| 16 | 38 |
| 17 | 38 |
| 18 | 38 |
| 19 | 39 |
| 20 | 39 |
| 21 | 40 |
| 22 | 40 |
| 23 | 40 |
| 24 | 41 |
| 25 | 41 |
| 26 | 42 |
| 27 | 42 |
| 28 | 43 |
| 29 | 43 |
| 30 | 43 |
| 31 | 43 |
Humidity in May
Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 80% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 95 | 94 | 93 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 89 | 88 | 87 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 80 | 79 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 76 | 76 | 75 | 75 | 74 | 72 | 71 | 70 | 68 | 66 | 65 | 61 |
| Comfortable (%) | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 29 |
| Humid (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 95 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 94 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | 93 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | 91 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | 91 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | 90 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | 89 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | 88 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | 87 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | 85 | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | 84 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | 83 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | 82 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | 81 | 17 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | 80 | 17 | 3 | 0 |
| 16 | 79 | 18 | 3 | 0 |
| 17 | 79 | 18 | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | 78 | 19 | 3 | 0 |
| 19 | 78 | 19 | 3 | 0 |
| 20 | 76 | 20 | 4 | 0 |
| 21 | 76 | 20 | 4 | 0 |
| 22 | 75 | 21 | 4 | 0 |
| 23 | 75 | 21 | 4 | 0 |
| 24 | 74 | 22 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | 72 | 23 | 5 | 0 |
| 26 | 71 | 24 | 5 | 0 |
| 27 | 70 | 24 | 6 | 0 |
| 28 | 68 | 25 | 6 | 1 |
| 29 | 66 | 26 | 7 | 1 |
| 30 | 65 | 27 | 7 | 1 |
| 31 | 61 | 29 | 8 | 2 |
Wind in May
Winds average 7 km/h in May, the windiest month of the year.
Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | calm |
| 2 | 7 | calm |
| 3 | 7 | calm |
| 4 | 7 | calm |
| 5 | 7 | calm |
| 6 | 7 | calm |
| 7 | 7 | calm |
| 8 | 7 | calm |
| 9 | 7 | calm |
| 10 | 7 | calm |
| 11 | 7 | calm |
| 12 | 7 | calm |
| 13 | 7 | calm |
| 14 | 7 | calm |
| 15 | 7 | calm |
| 16 | 7 | calm |
| 17 | 7 | calm |
| 18 | 7 | calm |
| 19 | 7 | calm |
| 20 | 7 | calm |
| 21 | 7 | calm |
| 22 | 7 | calm |
| 23 | 7 | calm |
| 24 | 7 | calm |
| 25 | 7 | calm |
| 26 | 7 | calm |
| 27 | 7 | calm |
| 28 | 7 | calm |
| 29 | 7 | calm |
| 30 | 7 | calm |
| 31 | 7 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in May
Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:43 AM to 5:23 AM, and sunset from 6:54 PM to 7:14 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.2 | 13.2 | 13.3 | 13.3 | 13.3 | 13.3 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.9 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:43 | 5:42 | 5:41 | 5:40 | 5:39 | 5:38 | 5:37 | 5:36 | 5:36 | 5:35 | 5:34 | 5:33 | 5:32 | 5:32 | 5:31 | 5:30 | 5:30 | 5:29 | 5:29 | 5:28 | 5:27 | 5:27 | 5:26 | 5:26 | 5:25 | 5:25 | 5:25 | 5:24 | 5:24 | 5:23 | 5:23 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:54 | 6:55 | 6:56 | 6:57 | 6:57 | 6:58 | 6:59 | 6:59 | 7:00 | 7:01 | 7:01 | 7:02 | 7:03 | 7:03 | 7:04 | 7:05 | 7:05 | 7:06 | 7:07 | 7:07 | 7:08 | 7:09 | 7:09 | 7:10 | 7:11 | 7:11 | 7:12 | 7:13 | 7:13 | 7:14 | 7:14 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.2 | 5:43 | 6:54 |
| 2 | 13.2 | 5:42 | 6:55 |
| 3 | 13.3 | 5:41 | 6:56 |
| 4 | 13.3 | 5:40 | 6:57 |
| 5 | 13.3 | 5:39 | 6:57 |
| 6 | 13.3 | 5:38 | 6:58 |
| 7 | 13.4 | 5:37 | 6:59 |
| 8 | 13.4 | 5:36 | 6:59 |
| 9 | 13.4 | 5:36 | 7:00 |
| 10 | 13.4 | 5:35 | 7:01 |
| 11 | 13.5 | 5:34 | 7:01 |
| 12 | 13.5 | 5:33 | 7:02 |
| 13 | 13.5 | 5:32 | 7:03 |
| 14 | 13.5 | 5:32 | 7:03 |
| 15 | 13.6 | 5:31 | 7:04 |
| 16 | 13.6 | 5:30 | 7:05 |
| 17 | 13.6 | 5:30 | 7:05 |
| 18 | 13.6 | 5:29 | 7:06 |
| 19 | 13.6 | 5:29 | 7:07 |
| 20 | 13.7 | 5:28 | 7:07 |
| 21 | 13.7 | 5:27 | 7:08 |
| 22 | 13.7 | 5:27 | 7:09 |
| 23 | 13.7 | 5:26 | 7:09 |
| 24 | 13.7 | 5:26 | 7:10 |
| 25 | 13.8 | 5:25 | 7:11 |
| 26 | 13.8 | 5:25 | 7:11 |
| 27 | 13.8 | 5:25 | 7:12 |
| 28 | 13.8 | 5:24 | 7:13 |
| 29 | 13.8 | 5:24 | 7:13 |
| 30 | 13.8 | 5:23 | 7:14 |
| 31 | 13.9 | 5:23 | 7:14 |
Solar energy in May
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.05 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.57 kWh/m² to a high of 7.05 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 7.05 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Level | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 2 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 3 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 4 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 5 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 6 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 7 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 8 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 9 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 10 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 11 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 12 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 13 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 14 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 15 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 16 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 17 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 18 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 19 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 20 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 21 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 22 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 23 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 24 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 25 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 26 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 27 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 28 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 29 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 30 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 31 | 7.0 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Shimla
None of Shimla's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.
Shimla's rainy season runs July–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Shimla sees seasonal dust haze (June), heaviest in June.
Is May a good time to visit Shimla?
Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
May is a reasonable time to visit Shimla for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Shimla in May
From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In May, Shimla sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 15°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 13 days see rain.
UV index in Shimla in May
Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks 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 Shimla peaks around June 16 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 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 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
| Level | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | Moderate |
| Feb | 5 | High |
| Mar | 9 | Very high |
| Apr | 9 | Very high |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 7 | Very high |
| Nov | 4 | Moderate |
| Dec | 4 | Moderate |
Air quality in Shimla in May
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Shimla is worst in December — around 37 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.1× the cleanest month (August, 17 µg/m³).
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Shimla's WHO annual average of 26 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 36 | 30 | 25 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 28 | 35 | 37 |
| Level | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36 | Poor |
| Feb | 30 | Moderate |
| Mar | 25 | Moderate |
| Apr | 21 | Moderate |
| May | 21 | Moderate |
| Jun | 22 | Moderate |
| Jul | 18 | Moderate |
| Aug | 17 | Moderate |
| Sep | 20 | Moderate |
| Oct | 28 | Moderate |
| Nov | 35 | Moderate |
| Dec | 37 | Poor |
Where is Shimla?
Shimla sits at 31.1°N, 77.2°E, 2,073 m above sea level, in India. The nearest listed city is Rishikesh, 155 km away.
Topography around Shimla
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Shimla.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Shimla has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 979 m around an average of 1,939 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,222 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,838 m.
The land around Shimla is covered by trees (79%) within 3 km, trees (78%) and grassland (20%) within 16 km, and trees (65%) 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 Shimla (31.1044°, 77.1666°, elevation 2,073 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).