Varanasi weather in December

In December, Varanasi sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 7 mm of rain across 0.9 wet days and about 10.5 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 26°C in the first days to 22°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 82% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 30 min at the start of December to 10 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Varanasi's 2nd-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Varanasi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
11th warmest
Overnight low
12°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
7 mm
0.9 wet days
Daylight
10 h 24 min
6:41 AM – 5:07 PM
Cloud cover
17%
2nd clearest
Wind
7 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
9.1
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 December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 26°C in the first days to 22°C by the end.

A typical December day in Varanasi reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 5°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12714
22614
32613
42613
52613
62613
72613
82613
92513
102513
112512
122512
132512
142512
152412
162412
172412
182412
192411
202411
212311
222311
232311
242311
252311
262311
272311
282211
292211
302210
312210

How December really feels in Varanasi

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December 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.

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

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Varanasi weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 10th-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 December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 82% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 11%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18911
28911
39010
48911
58911
68911
78911
88911
98911
108911
118911
129010
139010
149010
159010
169010
17919
18919
199010
209010
219010
228911
238911
248911
258911
268812
278812
288812
298812
308713
318713

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Varanasi gets around 7 mm of rain over 0.9 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 3% and peaks near 5% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
12
22
32
42
52
63
73
83
93
103
113
123
133
143
153
163
173
183
193
203
213
223
233
243
253
264
274
284
295
305
315

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 74% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1603181
2613081
3623071
4623071
5632971
6632971
7642871
8662770
9672670
10672670
11692560
12702460
13712360
14722350
15732250
16742150
17762040
18771940
19791830
20801730
21821620
22831520
23841420
24851410
25861310
26861310
27861310
28861310
29851320
30851320
31851320

Wind in December

Winds average 7 km/h in December.

Across December, 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.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 30 min at the start of December to 10 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:32 AM to 6:48 AM, and sunset from 5:04 PM to 5:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.56:325:04
210.56:325:04
310.56:335:04
410.56:345:04
510.56:345:04
610.56:355:04
710.56:365:05
810.56:365:05
910.56:375:05
1010.56:385:05
1110.56:385:05
1210.46:395:06
1310.46:395:06
1410.46:405:06
1510.46:415:07
1610.46:415:07
1710.46:425:07
1810.46:425:08
1910.46:435:08
2010.46:435:09
2110.46:445:09
2210.46:445:10
2310.46:455:10
2410.46:455:11
2510.46:465:11
2610.46:465:12
2710.46:465:12
2810.46:475:13
2910.46:475:13
3010.46:475:14
3110.46:485:14

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.14 kWh/m².

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 — December's 4.14 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.3Bright
24.3Bright
34.2Bright
44.2Bright
54.2Bright
64.2Bright
74.2Bright
84.2Bright
94.2Bright
104.2Bright
114.1Bright
124.1Bright
134.1Bright
144.1Bright
154.1Bright
164.1Bright
174.1Bright
184.1Bright
194.1Bright
204.1Bright
214.1Bright
224.1Bright
234.1Bright
244.1Bright
254.1Bright
264.1Bright
274.1Bright
284.1Bright
294.1Bright
304.1Bright
314.1Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Varanasi

In seasonPeak

In December, Varanasi sits inside its cyclone 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 December a good time to visit Varanasi?

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

9.1
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
7.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Varanasi for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Varanasi in December

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

In December, Varanasi sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 12°C. Worth packing: light clothes.

light clothes

UV index in Varanasi in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. 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 December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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