Bhutan Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Thimphu, Phuntsholing, Paro, Punakha, and Wangdue Phodrang
This month in numbers
Bhutan experienced its warmest June on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 14.99°C, an anomaly of +1.6°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. This marks the 1st warmest June in 86 years of records. The April–June 2026 period also ranked as the 3rd warmest on record, with an average temperature of 11.89°C, an anomaly of +1.4°C. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest on record for land temperatures, and the April–June period was the 2nd warmest.
What changed
Bhutan's significantly warmer June contributed to a notably warm spring season. The country's average temperature for April–June 2026 was +1.4°C above the baseline, placing it as the 3rd warmest such period on record. This trend aligns with the broader global picture, as global land temperatures for the same three-month period ranked as the 2nd warmest. Bhutan's 12-month rolling anomaly of +2.10°C places it 62nd out of 234 regions for warming.
What’s driving change?
The elevated temperatures in Bhutan are occurring amidst the onset of the summer monsoon season, which typically brings heavy rainfall and increased humidity to the region. The country's mountainous terrain makes it particularly susceptible to the impacts of a warming climate, including increased risks of landslides and flash floods during the monsoon. A five-year analysis by Bhutan's Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport shows that national highways are experiencing significantly longer closures during the monsoon, with landslides accounting for nearly seven out of every ten road failures in fiscal year 2024–25. This highlights the growing challenge of in the region.
Looking ahead
The ongoing monsoon season is expected to bring continued heavy rainfall, with July and August typically being the peak months for precipitation.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Bhutan
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Bhutan – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – Bhutan
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen Dwb · ContinentalBhutan has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±7.2°C) and a wet/dry cycle (150× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly rainfall climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Aug (-106 mm, -26%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean. Small figure: the actual value. Rank: position in the full record (1st = highest ever). Record: highest (or lowest) value on record with its year.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Bhutan
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Bhutan changing?
Bhutan is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Bhutan come from?
Climate data for Bhutan comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Bhutan climate data cover?
The Bhutan climate profile covers Thimphu, Phuntsholing, Paro, Punakha and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Bhutan
How often is the Bhutan climate update refreshed?
The Bhutan climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.