Varanasi weather in March
In March, Varanasi sees average daytime highs of 33°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 12 mm of rain across 2.1 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.
Highs climb over the month, from about 30°C in the first days to 36°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 82% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of March to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Varanasi's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Varanasi's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 33°
- 5th warmest
- Overnight low
- 18°
- 5th coldest
- Rainfall
- 12 mm
- 2.1 wet days
- Daylight
- 11 h 48 min
- 6:13 AM – 6:02 PM
- Cloud cover
- 20%
- 5th clearest
- Wind
- 9 km/h
- 5th windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.26 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 4.6
- 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 March
Highs climb over the month, from about 30°C in the first days to 36°C by the end.
A typical March day in Varanasi reaches about 33°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 36°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 6°C warmer than February and about 6°C cooler than April.
| 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) | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| Avg low (°C) | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 | 16 |
| 2 | 30 | 16 |
| 3 | 30 | 16 |
| 4 | 30 | 16 |
| 5 | 30 | 16 |
| 6 | 31 | 17 |
| 7 | 31 | 17 |
| 8 | 31 | 17 |
| 9 | 31 | 17 |
| 10 | 31 | 17 |
| 11 | 32 | 17 |
| 12 | 32 | 18 |
| 13 | 32 | 18 |
| 14 | 32 | 18 |
| 15 | 33 | 18 |
| 16 | 33 | 18 |
| 17 | 33 | 19 |
| 18 | 33 | 19 |
| 19 | 34 | 19 |
| 20 | 34 | 19 |
| 21 | 34 | 19 |
| 22 | 34 | 19 |
| 23 | 35 | 20 |
| 24 | 35 | 20 |
| 25 | 35 | 20 |
| 26 | 35 | 20 |
| 27 | 35 | 20 |
| 28 | 36 | 21 |
| 29 | 36 | 21 |
| 30 | 36 | 21 |
| 31 | 36 | 21 |
How March really feels in Varanasi
Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 19 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
The story in March is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Varanasi weather by month
How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23° / 11° | 17 | 2.2 | 10.6 | 8.8 |
| Feb | 27° / 14° | 17 | 2.3 | 11.1 | 8.3 |
| Mar | 33° / 18° | 12 | 2.1 | 11.8 | 4.6 |
| Apr | 38° / 24° | 6 | 2 | 12.6 | 1.0 |
| May | 40° / 27° | 9 | 2.9 | 13.2 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 38° / 29° | 132 | 12.6 | 13.5 | 0.9 |
| Jul | 33° / 28° | 295 | 24.5 | 13.4 | 2.1 |
| Aug | 32° / 27° | 247 | 24.2 | 12.9 | 2.4 |
| Sep | 32° / 26° | 163 | 17.5 | 12.2 | 3.1 |
| Oct | 32° / 22° | 37 | 4.1 | 11.4 | 5.0 |
| Nov | 29° / 16° | 6 | 0.6 | 10.8 | 7.6 |
| Dec | 24° / 12° | 7 | 0.9 | 10.5 | 9.1 |
Cloud cover in March
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 82% of the time in March.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 11%.
| 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 (%) | 90 | 90 | 89 | 89 | 89 | 89 | 89 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 87 | 87 | 87 | 87 | 87 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 89 | 89 | 90 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 93 |
| Cloudier (%) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 90 | 10 |
| 2 | 90 | 10 |
| 3 | 89 | 11 |
| 4 | 89 | 11 |
| 5 | 89 | 11 |
| 6 | 89 | 11 |
| 7 | 89 | 11 |
| 8 | 88 | 12 |
| 9 | 88 | 12 |
| 10 | 88 | 12 |
| 11 | 87 | 13 |
| 12 | 87 | 13 |
| 13 | 87 | 13 |
| 14 | 87 | 13 |
| 15 | 87 | 13 |
| 16 | 88 | 12 |
| 17 | 88 | 12 |
| 18 | 88 | 12 |
| 19 | 88 | 12 |
| 20 | 89 | 11 |
| 21 | 89 | 11 |
| 22 | 90 | 10 |
| 23 | 90 | 10 |
| 24 | 91 | 9 |
| 25 | 91 | 9 |
| 26 | 91 | 9 |
| 27 | 91 | 9 |
| 28 | 93 | 7 |
| 29 | 93 | 7 |
| 30 | 93 | 7 |
| 31 | 93 | 7 |
Chance of precipitation in March
Varanasi gets around 12 mm of rain over 2.1 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 7% and peaks near 8% 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 (%) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 8 |
| 2 | 8 |
| 3 | 8 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5 | 8 |
| 6 | 8 |
| 7 | 8 |
| 8 | 7 |
| 9 | 7 |
| 10 | 7 |
| 11 | 7 |
| 12 | 7 |
| 13 | 7 |
| 14 | 7 |
| 15 | 7 |
| 16 | 7 |
| 17 | 7 |
| 18 | 6 |
| 19 | 6 |
| 20 | 6 |
| 21 | 6 |
| 22 | 6 |
| 23 | 6 |
| 24 | 6 |
| 25 | 6 |
| 26 | 6 |
| 27 | 6 |
| 28 | 6 |
| 29 | 6 |
| 30 | 6 |
| 31 | 6 |
Humidity in March
Most of March feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, March lands in the dry band about 50% 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 (%) | 54 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 47 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 51 | 52 | 51 |
| Comfortable (%) | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 |
| Humid (%) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 |
| Muggy (%) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Oppressive (%) | 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 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54 | 30 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | 54 | 30 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | 53 | 30 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | 53 | 30 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | 52 | 31 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | 52 | 31 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 7 | 51 | 32 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | 51 | 32 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 9 | 50 | 33 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 10 | 50 | 33 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | 49 | 33 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | 49 | 34 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | 48 | 34 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | 47 | 34 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | 47 | 35 | 17 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | 46 | 35 | 17 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | 46 | 35 | 17 | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | 46 | 34 | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | 46 | 34 | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| 20 | 47 | 33 | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | 47 | 32 | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 22 | 48 | 31 | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 23 | 48 | 30 | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | 49 | 30 | 20 | 2 | 0 |
| 25 | 50 | 29 | 20 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | 50 | 28 | 20 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | 51 | 27 | 20 | 2 | 0 |
| 28 | 52 | 26 | 20 | 2 | 0 |
| 29 | 51 | 26 | 20 | 3 | 0 |
| 30 | 52 | 25 | 19 | 3 | 1 |
| 31 | 51 | 25 | 19 | 4 | 1 |
Wind in March
Winds average 9 km/h in March.
Across March, 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.
| 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) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 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 | 9 | calm |
| 2 | 9 | calm |
| 3 | 9 | calm |
| 4 | 9 | calm |
| 5 | 9 | calm |
| 6 | 9 | calm |
| 7 | 9 | calm |
| 8 | 9 | calm |
| 9 | 9 | calm |
| 10 | 9 | calm |
| 11 | 9 | calm |
| 12 | 9 | calm |
| 13 | 9 | calm |
| 14 | 9 | calm |
| 15 | 9 | calm |
| 16 | 9 | calm |
| 17 | 9 | calm |
| 18 | 9 | calm |
| 19 | 9 | calm |
| 20 | 9 | calm |
| 21 | 9 | calm |
| 22 | 9 | calm |
| 23 | 9 | calm |
| 24 | 9 | calm |
| 25 | 9 | calm |
| 26 | 9 | calm |
| 27 | 10 | calm |
| 28 | 10 | calm |
| 29 | 10 | calm |
| 30 | 10 | calm |
| 31 | 10 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in March
Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of March to 12 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 48 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:28 AM to 5:57 AM, and sunset from 5:54 PM to 6:09 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) | 11.4 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.2 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:28 | 6:27 | 6:26 | 6:25 | 6:24 | 6:23 | 6:22 | 6:21 | 6:20 | 6:19 | 6:18 | 6:17 | 6:16 | 6:15 | 6:14 | 6:13 | 6:12 | 6:11 | 6:10 | 6:09 | 6:08 | 6:07 | 6:06 | 6:05 | 6:04 | 6:02 | 6:01 | 6:00 | 5:59 | 5:58 | 5:57 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:54 | 5:55 | 5:56 | 5:56 | 5:57 | 5:57 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:59 | 5:59 | 6:00 | 6:00 | 6:01 | 6:01 | 6:02 | 6:02 | 6:03 | 6:03 | 6:03 | 6:04 | 6:04 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:09 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.4 | 6:28 | 5:54 |
| 2 | 11.5 | 6:27 | 5:55 |
| 3 | 11.5 | 6:26 | 5:56 |
| 4 | 11.5 | 6:25 | 5:56 |
| 5 | 11.5 | 6:24 | 5:57 |
| 6 | 11.6 | 6:23 | 5:57 |
| 7 | 11.6 | 6:22 | 5:58 |
| 8 | 11.6 | 6:21 | 5:58 |
| 9 | 11.6 | 6:20 | 5:59 |
| 10 | 11.7 | 6:19 | 5:59 |
| 11 | 11.7 | 6:18 | 6:00 |
| 12 | 11.7 | 6:17 | 6:00 |
| 13 | 11.7 | 6:16 | 6:01 |
| 14 | 11.8 | 6:15 | 6:01 |
| 15 | 11.8 | 6:14 | 6:02 |
| 16 | 11.8 | 6:13 | 6:02 |
| 17 | 11.8 | 6:12 | 6:03 |
| 18 | 11.9 | 6:11 | 6:03 |
| 19 | 11.9 | 6:10 | 6:03 |
| 20 | 11.9 | 6:09 | 6:04 |
| 21 | 11.9 | 6:08 | 6:04 |
| 22 | 12.0 | 6:07 | 6:05 |
| 23 | 12.0 | 6:06 | 6:05 |
| 24 | 12.0 | 6:05 | 6:06 |
| 25 | 12.0 | 6:04 | 6:06 |
| 26 | 12.1 | 6:02 | 6:07 |
| 27 | 12.1 | 6:01 | 6:07 |
| 28 | 12.1 | 6:00 | 6:08 |
| 29 | 12.1 | 5:59 | 6:08 |
| 30 | 12.2 | 5:58 | 6:08 |
| 31 | 12.2 | 5:57 | 6:09 |
Solar energy in March
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 6.26 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 — March's 6.26 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) | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.8 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | 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 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 2 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 3 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 4 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 6 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 7 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 8 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 9 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 10 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 11 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 12 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 13 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 14 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 15 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.8 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Varanasi
None of Varanasi's seasonal hazards are active in March. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.
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.
Is March a good time to visit Varanasi?
Our two travel scores rate March for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
March is a reasonable time to visit Varanasi for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Varanasi in March
From March's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In March, Varanasi sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
UV index in Varanasi in March
Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 8 — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 8 | Very high |
| Apr | 10 | Very high |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 7 | High |
| Nov | 5 | Moderate |
| Dec | 4 | Moderate |
Air quality in Varanasi in March
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where March 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 290 | 223 | 166 | 116 | 104 | 94 | 67 | 78 | 98 | 178 | 278 | 307 |
| Level | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 290 | Very unhealthy |
| Feb | 223 | Very unhealthy |
| Mar | 166 | Very unhealthy |
| Apr | 116 | Unhealthy |
| May | 104 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 94 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 67 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 78 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 98 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 178 | Very unhealthy |
| Nov | 278 | Very unhealthy |
| Dec | 307 | Very unhealthy |
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.
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.
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 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).