West Bengal is an eastern Indian state stretching from the Himalayan foothills at Darjeeling to the mangrove delta of the Sundarbans. It combines the colonial heritage and literary culture of Kolkata with tea estates, terracotta temples, wildlife reserves and Bay of Bengal beaches.
West Bengal has a tropical wet-and-dry climate in the south and east, with hot humid summers, a southwest monsoon from June to September, and a cool, dry winter. The north spans the Himalayan foothills with cool, wet conditions: Darjeeling ranges from about 2 C in winter to 20 C in summer, with heavy monsoon rainfall and dense mist. The Sundarbans coast experiences cyclones and tidal flooding.
Best time to visit
Best: November to February
Best Reason: Cool, dry weather in Kolkata (about 12-27 C), clear mountain views at Darjeeling and the best conditions for the Sundarbans, Santiniketan and Poush Mela
Peak Season: October to January in Kolkata; April-May and October-November in the hills
Avoid: Late April to mid-June (pre-monsoon heat and nor'westers) and July to September (heavy rain and flooding)
Avoid Reason: Kolkata reaches 36-40 C with high humidity before the monsoon, then receives about 1,600 mm of rain mostly from June to September; hill roads face landslides in July and August. Cyclones can hit the coast in May and October-November.
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
January
27°C/80°F
Cool, dry and sunny; Gangasagar Mela and Christmas-New Year buzz
February
30°C/86°F
Warming gently; Saraswati Puja and spring colours at Santiniketan
March
35°C/95°F
Hot afternoons begin; Holi celebrations and clear hill mornings
April
36°C/97°F
Hot and humid in the plains; Poila Boishakh; rhododendrons bloom in the hills
May
36°C/97°F
Peak heat and nor'westers in Kolkata; cyclone risk on the coast; hills pleasant
June
33°C/91°F
Monsoon onset; heavy rain, waterlogging and Rath Yatra
July
32°C/90°F
Heavy rain and humidity; landslides on hill roads
August
32°C/90°F
Monsoon continues; Sundarbans boat trips mostly curtailed
September
32°C/90°F
Monsoon retreats; lush green landscapes; Durga Puja can begin
October
31°C/88°F
Durga Puja and Kali Puja; clear skies returning; cyclone risk late in the month
November
29°C/84°F
Cooler and drier; excellent mountain views and Sundarbans season opens
December
26°C/79°F
Cool and dry; Park Street Christmas lights and Poush Mela
The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Spring
Months: Feb-Mar
Warming days and comfortable evenings; Holi (Basanta Utsav) at Santiniketan and good bird watching
Summer
Months: Apr-Jun
Hot and humid in the plains (35-40 C) with sudden nor'westers; the hills are pleasant at 12-22 C
Fall
Months: Oct-Nov
Post-monsoon freshness, Durga Puja and Kali Puja; clear Himalayan views
Winter
Months: Dec-Jan
Dry, cool and sunny in Kolkata (12-27 C), cold in the hills (2-12 C)
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- High Season
- October to January in Kolkata; April-May and October-November in Darjeeling
- Shoulder Season
- February-March and September
- Low Season
- June to August (monsoon)
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
Gangasagar Mela
Pilgrimage fair on Sagar Island at Makar Sankranti, drawing millions to bathe at the Ganges mouth
Kolkata International Book Fair
One of the world's largest book fairs, usually from late January into February
Saraswati Puja
Students and families worship the goddess of learning; spring clothes and sweets everywhere
Basanta Utsav (Holi) at Santiniketan
Spring festival with music, dance and colour at Visva-Bharati
Poila Boishakh
Bengali New Year celebrated with processions, new account books and festive food
Durga Puja
The grandest festival in Bengal with pandal hopping and idol immersion; UNESCO listed in 2021
Kali Puja and Diwali
Festival of lights with fireworks, special sweets and temple rituals
Kolkata International Film Festival
Held in November-December in Kolkata's cultural venues
Poush Mela
Santiniketan's winter fair with Baul music and handicrafts
Park Street Christmas
Illuminated street, carols and cake shops draw large crowds