Best Time to Visit Delhi: Weather, Smog and Festivals

When is the best time to visit Delhi?

Mid-February to mid-March is the best time to visit Delhi for most people. Days reach 24–30°C, rain is light, fog has mostly cleared and the air is cleaner than in winter. October is the runner-up. November to January is cool but smoggy and foggy, May is the hottest month, and August the wettest.

Three things shape Delhi’s year: a short monsoon, a fierce pre-monsoon summer and a winter that is pleasant by temperature but often poor for air. The India Meteorological Department’s 1991–2020 climatological table for New Delhi Safdarjung gives an annual rainfall of 762.3 mm, most of it between July and September, and a mean daily maximum of 39.9°C in May.

Air quality is the factor most visitors underestimate. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s review of 2025 put Delhi’s average Air Quality Index at 354 in November and 351 in December, against 78 in July and 170 in March. We use those official monthly averages, not a single photograph or a forecast, in every recommendation on this page.

Once your month is chosen, pick a base in where to stay in Delhi, then plan your days with the Delhi 3-day itinerary or the slower 7-day itinerary. Every figure below was checked on 16 and 17 October 2026.

What is Delhi’s weather like month by month?

Delhi swings from January nights of 7.5°C to May afternoons of 39.9°C at Safdarjung. Rain is scarce until June, then July and August bring about 196 mm and 227 mm. December and January average around 20 foggy days each, and the worst monthly air quality in 2024 and 2025 fell between November and January.

Temperatures, rainfall, rainy days and fog days are IMD’s 1991–2020 means for Safdarjung, the city’s reference observatory, from the climatological table checked on 16 October 2026. The AQI column gives each month’s average Air Quality Index for 2024 and 2025 from the Ministry of Environment’s 2025 review; lower is better.

On the Central Pollution Control Board’s scale, 51–100 is “satisfactory”, 101–200 “moderate”, 201–300 “poor”, 301–400 “very poor” and 401–500 “severe” (CPCB). The verdict column is our reading of all three sets of numbers for a sightseeing trip, not an official rating.

How bad is Delhi’s winter smog, and when is the air cleanest?

Bad enough to plan around. Delhi’s monthly average AQI was 354 in November and 351 in December 2025, in the “very poor” band, and 306 in January 2025. The cleanest months were July and August, below 100. March, at 170, is the cleanest month that also has comfortable sightseeing weather.

The figures come from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s review of 2025, published on 31 December 2025. It counted 79 days in 2025 with an AQI of 100 or below, more than any year since 2018 apart from 2020, and 8 days above 400, against 17 in 2024. It put December’s average of 351 down to still winds and unfavourable weather.

The Central Pollution Control Board’s health statements explain why that matters: “poor” air means breathing discomfort for most people on prolonged exposure, “very poor” means respiratory illness on prolonged exposure, and “severe” affects healthy people (CPCB). The FCDO says pollution is worst from October to February and that children, older people and anyone with a heart or lung condition may be especially affected.

Air changes quickly, so check it in the week you travel. CPCB publishes a daily AQI bulletin; its 16 October 2026 edition put Delhi at 90, “satisfactory”, as a 24-hour average to 4pm across 54 of 59 stations (CPCB). On poor days, swap gardens and long walks for museums, and take medical advice before travel if you have asthma or a heart condition.

Is winter (November to January) a good time to visit Delhi?

For temperature, yes; for air and fog, often not. November averages a pleasant 28.4°C high, but January nights fall to 7.5°C, and December and January average 19–22 foggy days. Pollution peaks in the same months. Go if you are healthy and flexible, with indoor back-ups and slack around flights and trains.

IMD’s Safdarjung normals give 12.3 foggy days in November, 19.2 in December and 21.6 in January, with mean lows of 13.0°C, 8.4°C and 7.5°C (IMD). The FCDO advises avoiding travel at night and in fog, when accidents are common because of low visibility. Leave a spare half-day before any long-haul departure, and avoid tight rail connections on foggy mornings.

Winter is also festival and holiday season. The Government of India’s holiday calendar lists Diwali on 8 November 2026, Guru Nanak’s birthday on 24 November, Christmas Day on 25 December and Republic Day on 26 January 2027, all gazetted holidays. The FCDO asks visitors to take particular care around Republic Day and Diwali, and notes that alcohol sales are often banned during major festivals and national holidays (FCDO).

If you do travel now, choose a room with good windows and air conditioning, start sightseeing once the morning fog lifts, and keep a museum day in reserve. Our where to stay in Delhi guide explains why a base beside a metro station saves walking in poor air.

Why are February and March the best months for Delhi?

They combine the most comfortable temperatures with fading fog and improving air. February averages 24.2°C by day and 10.6°C at night; March 29.9°C and 15.6°C. Fog falls from 10.9 days to 3.5, and the 2025 AQI averaged 214 and 170. Holi on 23 March 2027 adds colour and crowds.

Rain is light and brief in both months: IMD’s 1991–2020 normals give 21.5 mm over 1.5 rainy days in February and 19.1 mm over 1.7 days in March (IMD). The air is not clean by any international standard, but the ministry says February 2025’s average of 214 was the lowest for that month since 2018, and March’s 170 sat in the “moderate” band (PIB).

The holiday calendar lists Maha Shivaratri on 6 March 2027 (restricted), Id-ul-Fitr on 10 March, Holika Dahan on 22 March and Holi on 23 March, with Good Friday on 26 March. If you join in the Holi colour play, wear clothes you do not mind ruining, keep your phone in a sealed bag, and expect some offices and shops to close.

March warms quickly, so it is the last comfortable window for long outdoor days at Mehrauli, Qutub Minar or the Agra forts before the heat. For a full week built around this season, with Agra and an optional Jaipur night, see the Delhi 7-day itinerary.

How hot is Delhi from April to June?

Very hot. Safdarjung’s mean daily maximum climbs from 36.5°C in April to 39.9°C in May and 39.0°C in June, and nights stay above 25°C from May to August. May also averages 3.6 days with squalls, the most of any month. Sightsee at dawn and dusk, and spend afternoons indoors.

IMD’s 1991–2020 normals put mean lows at 25.8°C in May and 27.7°C in June, so nights bring little relief, and May averages 5.9 days with thunder (IMD). Rain is still light, 29.4 mm in May, rising to 80.6 mm in June as the monsoon approaches. The FCDO notes that India can see extreme weather that disrupts infrastructure (FCDO).

April is the most workable of the three months, with a mean high of 36.5°C, though its 2025 average AQI of 210 was higher than May’s 170 (IMD; PIB). Museums carry the middle of the day: the National Museum opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm, and Akshardham opens its exhibitions from 10am; both are closed on Mondays.

Gazetted holidays in this stretch include Ram Navami on 15 April 2027, Mahavir Jayanti on 19 April, Id-ul-Zuha on 17 May and Buddha Purnima on 20 May (holiday calendar). If your dates are fixed, build each day around a sunrise monument, an indoor middle and an evening walk, using the indoor swaps in the 3-day itinerary.

Should you visit Delhi during the monsoon?

Only if you can work around showers. July and August average 195.8 mm and 226.8 mm of rain over about ten rainy days each, and nights stay near 27°C. The reward is the year’s cleanest air: Delhi’s average AQI was 78 in July 2025. Expect heavy downpours, some flooding and fewer sightseeing hours.

IMD’s 1991–2020 table gives 9.7 rainy days in July, 10.2 in August and 5.5 in September, when the total drops to 128.0 mm; July and August also average more than seven days with thunder (IMD). In 2025 the monsoon reached Delhi on 29 June, the day it covered the whole country nine days before the expected date of 8 July, All India Radio reported.

The FCDO says India’s monsoon usually runs from June to November and can bring flash flooding, disruption in big cities and cuts to phone, internet and electricity services. It also lists dengue and malaria among health risks in India (FCDO), so pack repellent and cover your arms and legs at dusk.

Monsoon travel suits museum-led trips and travellers who most want lower air pollution, not a first look at the open-air monuments. Independence Day on 15 August 2027 falls in this season (holiday calendar), and the FCDO advises particular care around it (FCDO).

Is October a good month, and when are Delhi’s festivals?

October is the second-best month: days average 33.0°C, nights 19.5°C and rain only 14.1 mm, and the festival season begins. Air quality slides from October into November, averaging 223 and 354 in 2025. Dussehra falls on 20 October 2026 and Diwali on 8 November 2026, so book rooms and trains early.

October can still surprise. The October 2026 edition of IMD’s Safdarjung sheet lists 89.3 mm in October 2025, including 37.8 mm on 1 October, and 128.6 mm in October 2022, against the 14.1 mm normal (IMD). Allow for a shower early in the month and for misty mornings by its end: the normal is 3.4 foggy days.

The table lists the main dates on the Government of India’s holiday calendar for the coming year. It is issued for central government staff: gazetted holidays close their offices, while restricted holidays are optional days off and disrupt less. The National Museum also closes on national holidays.

The FCDO notes that stampedes have occurred at events with large crowds, including religious gatherings, and advises avoiding large gatherings. Watch Dussehra and Diwali celebrations from the edge of the crowd, and agree a meeting point if you travel as a group.

What do you need to arrange before travelling to Delhi?

An Indian visa first: the e-Tourist visa can be applied for from 120 days to at least four days before arrival, and Delhi is a designated arrival airport. Then complete the free e-Arrival Card in the 72 hours before landing. Book rooms early for Diwali, Christmas and February–March, keeping free cancellation.

India’s official e-Visa portal offers e-Tourist visas for 30 days, one year and five years and lists Delhi among the airports where e-Visa holders may enter. Our India e-visa guide walks through the application, and the FCDO notes that hotels must register foreign guests, so keep your passport and visa to hand at check-in.

The e-Arrival Card is run by the Bureau of Immigration, costs nothing and, in its own words, is for arrival information, not a visa; it asks for your passport, your address in India and the countries you visited in the previous six days. The FCDO says foreign nationals must complete it online, up to 72 hours before arrival, and also lists an Air Suvidha self-declaration form due up to 24 hours before arrival.

Hold a cancellable room as soon as your dates are firm, then compare fares a week either side; festival weeks are when that flexibility matters most. Our Delhi airport to city guide covers the Airport Express for arrival day.

Which month suits which Delhi trip, and what is the verdict?

Go from mid-February to mid-March if you can; October is the next best. Choose November to January only if you accept smog and fog for cool days and festivals. Avoid May and June if heat bothers you, and pick July to September only for museum-led trips with the cleanest air.

The case rests on three official data sets: IMD’s 1991–2020 Safdarjung normals (IMD), the 2024 and 2025 monthly AQI averages (PIB) and the Government of India’s holiday calendar. No month is perfect; February and March simply ask for the fewest compromises. If Agra is on your list, remember that the Taj Mahal closes on Fridays (official Taj Mahal site).

Next, choose a base in where to stay in Delhi, decide how to reach the Taj with Delhi to Agra: train vs flight, and browse things to do in Delhi. The Delhi destination guide covers budgets, and our Delhi hotels page lists properties with dated guest-score data.