Varanasi weather in August

In August, Varanasi sees average daytime highs of 32°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 247 mm of rain across 24.2 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in August, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of August to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Varanasi's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Varanasi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
6th warmest
Overnight low
27°
9th coldest
Rainfall
247 mm
24.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:35 AM – 6:29 PM
Cloud cover
84%
11th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
4.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.4
out of 10

Varanasi is city on the banks of the Ganges in the Uttar Pradesh state of India.

Air quality
Severe
PM10 183.6 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
14,183/km²
people per km²

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

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month.

A typical August day in Varanasi reaches about 32°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 30°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, August runs about 1°C cooler than July and on par with September.

25°28°30°33°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13327
23327
33327
43327
53327
63327
73327
83227
93227
103227
113227
123227
133227
143227
153227
163227
173227
183227
193227
203227
213227
223227
233227
243227
253227
263227
273227
283227
293227
303227
313227

How August really feels in Varanasi

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

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
31 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in August is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Varanasi weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan23° / 11°172.210.68.8
Feb27° / 14°172.311.18.3
Mar33° / 18°122.111.84.6
Apr38° / 24°6212.61.0
May40° / 27°92.913.20.0
Jun38° / 29°13212.613.50.9
Jul33° / 28°29524.513.42.1
Aug32° / 27°24724.212.92.4
Sep32° / 26°16317.512.23.1
Oct32° / 22°374.111.45.0
Nov29° / 16°60.610.87.6
Dec24° / 12°70.910.59.1

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 87%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11288
21189
31189
41189
51189
61288
71189
81189
91189
101189
111189
121189
131189
141189
151090
161090
171189
181189
191189
201288
211486
221486
231585
241684
251783
261981
271981
282080
292179
302377
312476

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Varanasi gets around 247 mm of rain over 24.2 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 78% and peaks near 82% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
178
277
377
478
578
678
779
879
980
1080
1181
1281
1382
1482
1582
1682
1782
1882
1982
2081
2180
2279
2378
2477
2575
2674
2773
2872
2972
3071
3170

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, August lands in the miserable band about 98% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1397
2397
3397
4397
5397
6397
7397
8298
9298
10298
11298
12298
13298
14199
15199
16199
17199
18199
19199
20199
21199
22199
23199
24199
25199
26199
27199
28199
29199
30199
31199

Wind in August

Winds average 9 km/h in August.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 min at the start of August to 12 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 42 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 5:28 AM to 5:42 AM, and sunset from 6:40 PM to 6:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.25:286:40
213.25:296:39
313.25:296:39
413.15:306:38
513.15:306:37
613.15:316:37
713.15:316:36
813.15:326:35
913.05:326:35
1013.05:326:34
1113.05:336:33
1213.05:336:32
1313.05:346:31
1412.95:346:31
1512.95:356:30
1612.95:356:29
1712.95:366:28
1812.85:366:27
1912.85:376:26
2012.85:376:25
2112.85:376:24
2212.85:386:23
2312.75:386:22
2412.75:396:21
2512.75:396:20
2612.75:406:19
2712.65:406:18
2812.65:406:17
2912.65:416:16
3012.65:416:15
3112.55:426:14

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 4.07 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.07 kWh/m² to a high of 7.19 kWh/m² in May across the year — August's 4.07 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.1Bright
24.1Bright
34.1Bright
44.1Bright
54.1Bright
64.0Bright
74.0Bright
84.0Bright
94.0Bright
104.0Moderate
114.0Moderate
124.0Moderate
134.0Moderate
143.9Moderate
153.9Moderate
164.0Moderate
174.0Moderate
184.0Moderate
194.0Moderate
204.0Bright
214.0Bright
224.1Bright
234.1Bright
244.1Bright
254.1Bright
264.2Bright
274.2Bright
284.2Bright
294.2Bright
304.2Bright
314.2Bright
Planning a trip in August

Hazard calendar for Varanasi

In seasonPeak

In August, Varanasi sits inside its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Varanasi sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.

Varanasi's monsoon runs July–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Varanasi sees seasonal dust haze (May–June), heaviest in June.

Cyclone
Monsoon
Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is August a good time to visit Varanasi?

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

2.4
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
4.1
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

August is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Varanasi.

What to pack for Varanasi in August

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

In August, Varanasi sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 24 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

UV index in Varanasi in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Varanasi peaks around August 15 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highVery highHighModerateAug 15UV 10Jan 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar8Very high
Apr10Very high
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct7High
Nov5Moderate
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Varanasi in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where August falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Varanasi is worst in December — around 307 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 4.6× the cleanest month (July, 67 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0306090120150180210240270300330JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery unhealthyUnhealthyVery unhealthyDec 19305 µg/m³Jul 2069 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan290Very unhealthy
Feb223Very unhealthy
Mar166Very unhealthy
Apr116Unhealthy
May104Unhealthy
Jun94Unhealthy
Jul67Unhealthy
Aug78Unhealthy
Sep98Unhealthy
Oct178Very unhealthy
Nov278Very unhealthy
Dec307Very unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Varanasi?

Varanasi sits at 25.3°N, 83.0°E, 86 m above sea level, in India. The nearest listed city is Bodh Gaya, 211 km away.

Bodh GayaLumbiniSiddharthanagarBirgañjButwālGaurTānsenChitwan

Topography around Varanasi

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Varanasi.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Varanasi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 38 m around an average of 77 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 420 m.

The land around Varanasi is covered by artificial surfaces (65%) within 3 km, cropland (55%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 16 km, and cropland (80%) within 80 km.

3 km
38 m
16 km
39 m
80 km
420 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
August weather nearby: Bodh Gaya 211 km · Lumbini 239 km · Siddharthanagar 247 km · Birgañj 266 km · Butwāl 268 km · Gaur 278 km · Tānsen 288 km · Chitwan 299 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
Hindu 80%Muslim 14%Christian 2%other and unspecified 2%

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 Varanasi (25.3167°, 83.0104°, elevation 86 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).