| West Bengal Climate |
| Map |
| West Bengal's climate varies from tropical in the south to humid subtropical in the north. The main seasons are summer, rainy season, a short autumn, and winter. Summer While the summer in the delta region is noted for excessive humidity, the western highlands experience a dry summer like northern India, with the highest day temperature ranging from 38 to 45 °C. At nights a cool southerly breeze carries moisture from the Bay of Bengal. In early summer brief thunderstorms known as Kalbaisakhi often occur. Monsoon Monsoons bring rain to the whole state from June to September which moves in a northwesterly direction. Winter Winter only lasts from December to January and is mild over the plains with average minimum temperatures of 15 °C. A cold and dry northern wind blows in the winter, substantially lowering the humidity level. However, the Darjeeling Himalayan Hill region experiences a harsh winter, with occasional snowfall at places. When to Go The best time to visit most of West Bengal is from October to March. However for Darjeeling and other mountainous areas April to mid June and September to November are the best times to visit, when the weather is milder. |