Bhutan Climate
Top 5 Cities: Thimphu, Phuntsholing, Paro, Punakha, and Wangdue Phodrang
This month in numbers
Bhutan experienced its 7th warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 9.01°C, which is 1.4°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The three-month period from February to April 2026 was the 4th warmest on record, with an anomaly of +1.9°C, reaching 6.12°C. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest on record for land temperature, and the February–April period also ranked as the 2nd warmest globally.
What changed
Bhutan's recent warmth follows a trend of significantly above-average temperatures in recent months. January 2026 saw a striking anomaly of +3.9°C, and both November and December 2025 were more than 2°C above their historical averages. This consistent warmth places Bhutan 96th globally for its 3-month temperature anomaly, indicating a widespread warming trend. The country's average temperature for 2025 was 9.18°C, making it the warmest year on record.
What’s driving change?
The warming trend in Bhutan is influenced by global climate patterns, including the current Neutral ENSO state, although a transition to El Niño is most likely from May to July 2026, with probabilities increasing to 87% by July-September. Bhutan's mountainous terrain makes it particularly susceptible to , where higher altitudes warm faster than lower ones. The country has also been grappling with the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Between 2023 and 2025, Bhutan recorded 274 forest fire incidents, affecting over 27,000 hectares of forest. While the current fire season (November 2025-March 2026) has seen a decline in incidents compared to the previous year, forest fires remain a significant concern. Flash floods and landslides are also recurring issues, with continuous and intense rainfall in October 2025 triggering widespread damage to infrastructure, including 29 bridges. These events highlight the country's vulnerability to and the broader impacts of climate change.
Looking ahead
Seasonal outlooks suggest that parts of South Asia, including Bhutan, may still receive normal to above-normal rainfall during the upcoming monsoon season, though temperatures are expected to remain higher than usual.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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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 trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see 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.