New Delhi, the capital of India, bears a hot and humid climate for most part of the year. The city’s atmosphere becomes really hot during the month of June which is followed by monsoons occurring somewhere around September. Monsoon in Delhi is pretty unpredictable where you can't predict which way they will turn. However, Delhi’s monsoon has never been like the one we witness in other parts of India, especially Mumbai. Winter in Delhi is very chilly which peaks in at the start of November and continues till the later half of February. The foggy and frosty weather during winter season makes Delhi's climate a hard one to deal with with. Delhi is situated on the banks of river Yamuna with Himalayas existing over the north of Delhi. This is the key reason behind Delhi's climate being referred to as the "Continental Climate".

Summer Season: The typical temperature of New Delhi during summer season ranges from 25º C to as high as 46º C. This goes to show that Delhi summer is very cruel and bearing such heat is not an easy task to say the least. May and June are considered as hottest months of the year. Summer in Delhi persists till October before a shade of winter begins to sets in. Summer in Delhi attributes its cause to Rajasthan’s hot waves called "Loo". These heat waves are enormously hot and one needs to take proper precautions during the season in order to stay healthy. The advent of monsoon season does bring in some relief to Delhi people, which comes not before the end of June. Monsoon in Delhi does provides much needed breather to Delhities but as discussed it is quite upredictable and has even been rare at times.

Winter Season: In comparison to summer, winters are short and sweet. Winter Season starts from the end of November or early december and continues till February-March. The cold waves from the Himalayan region makes the winters in New Delhi really chilly. Temperatures fall substantially down to as low as 3 to 0º C at the zenith of winter. Winters in Delhi get unbearably chilly leading to people setting up bonfires all round the streets of Delhi to beat the cold waves. Delhi is not free from the problems of fog and smog. In January, a thick fog often covers the city in its entirety, reducing visibility on the streets significantly. It is highly advisable to take adequate precautions while driving especially during night and morning because fog reduces the visibility of the driver to a great extent. Though generally, winter days are pleasing with bright sunlight enabling you to bask during the afternoons.

Monsoon (Rainy Season): The city does not witness much of a rain, at times, even during the monsoon season. The monsoon lasts from July to September. October sees the end of the monsoon but it is reasonably pleasant.

Following table gives you an idea of monthly rainfall in Delhi:

ANNUAL TEMPERATURE & RAINFALL CHART

Best Time to visit Delhi:

If you are looking to stay in Delhi for a vacation, the best time is during October-November or February-March. This is because, during October-November, the atmosphere is pretty cool with sunny weather during the afternoon. February-March is the point in time when the nights are cool and the days are filled with dazzling sunshine. This is the time period when you can relish the best in Delhi.