Nepal Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lalitpur, Bharatpur, and Birgunj
This month in numbers
Nepal experienced its 7th warmest June on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 19.89°C, an anomaly of +1.1°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. Globally, June 2026 ranked as the 3rd warmest June for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1°C. The three-month period from April to June 2026 was the 5th warmest on record for Nepal, with an average temperature of 17.61°C, also showing an anomaly of +1.1°C.
What changed
Nepal's consistently warmer-than-average temperatures over the past six months, with anomalies ranging from +0.9°C to +2.1°C, indicate a significant warming trend. The country's average temperature for 2025 was 14.04°C, making it the 2nd warmest year on record. This regional warming aligns with the global picture, as global land temperatures for April–June 2026 ranked as the 2nd warmest on record.
What’s driving change?
The current weak El Niño, with a Niño 3.4 SST anomaly of +0.98°C for April-June 2026, is a key factor influencing Nepal's climate. El Niño typically brings warmer and drier conditions to India and, by extension, Nepal, often leading to a weaker southwest summer monsoon. This year, the monsoon arrived later than usual, and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has forecast below-average seasonal rainfall for much of the country, increasing concerns about drought, agriculture, and hydropower generation. Despite the forecast for overall lower rainfall, there is still a high risk of localised intense downpours, flash floods, and landslides, particularly in urban areas and along river systems, due to and the potential for sudden, heavy rainfall on parched ground.
Looking ahead
The El Niño is projected to strengthen rapidly and persist through the Northern Hemisphere autumn, suggesting a continued likelihood of warmer temperatures and a weaker monsoon for Nepal in the coming months.
Sources:
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Nepal
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.
Nepal – 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 – Nepal
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen Cwb · TemperateNepal has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±7.6°C) and a wet/dry cycle (29× 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 (-76 mm, -23%).
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.
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Nepal
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 Nepal changing?
Nepal 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 Nepal come from?
Climate data for Nepal 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 Nepal climate data cover?
The Nepal climate profile covers Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lalitpur, Bharatpur and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Nepal
How often is the Nepal climate update refreshed?
The Nepal 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.