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During autumn the nights are cold in the
mountains, but the bright sun makes for pleasant
day temperatures - in the high 20s° C, falling
to 5° C at night, between 1000 metres and 3500
metres. At higher altitudes temperatures range
from about 20° C down to -10° C. Mornings are
usually clear with clouds building up during the
afternoon, disappearing at night to reveal
spectacular starry skies. During winter it is
about 10 degrees colder.
Early December usually has a lull, but this is
also a good trekking season. The Christmas
period is cold, but this is the holiday season
in Japan and Australia and these nationalities
dominate flights and hotels. High passes,
especially Thorung La on the Around Annapurna
trek and Laurabina Pass on the Gosainkund trek
are usually closed from late November to March.
February is still cold, though less so as the
spring trekking season of March and April
approaches. The Middle Hills, especially around
Pokhara, are full of dust and haze in April and
May, but the high country is usually clear.
Trekking tapers off in the heat of May except at
high elevations.
The monsoon is a good time to visit Kathmandu,
but there are few trekkers among those who come.
A monsoon trek is possible if you are willing to
put up with the rain, leeches, slippery trails
and lousy mountain views. Flights operate
throughout the monsoon to Lukla, Jumla and
Jomsom, so it is possible to fly in and trek
above the leech line.
Many of the new treks to recently opened
restricted areas are good summer treks. Mustang
and Simikot are partially in the Himalayan rain
shadow, so trekking conditions are good
throughout the monsoon season. Most of the
restricted area treks are impossible during the
winter season.
Climate
Nepal has four distinct seasons. Spring, from
March to May, is warm and dusty with rain
showers. Summer, from June to August, is the
monsoon season when the hills turn lush and
green. Autumn, from September to November, is
cool with clear skies, and is the most popular
trekking season. In winter, from December to
February, it is cold at night and can be foggy
in the early morning, but afternoons are usually
clear and pleasant, though there is occasional
snow in the mountains.
Because Nepal is quite far south (at the same
latitude as Miami and Cairo) the weather is
warmer and winter is much milder at lower
elevations, including Kathmandu at 1400 metres.
It rarely snows below 2000 metres.
The monsoon in the Bay of Bengal governs the
weather pattern. The monsoon creates a rainy
season from the middle of June to the middle of
September. It is hot during the monsoon and it
rains almost every day, but it is a considerate
rain, limiting itself mostly to the night.
During this season, trekking in most of Nepal is
difficult and uncomfortable. Clouds usually hide
the mountains and the trails are muddy and
infested with leeches.
It usually does not rain for more than one or
two days during the entire autumn season from
mid-October to mid-December. During winter and
spring there may be a week or so of rainy
evenings and occasional thunderstorms blanket
the hills with snow. The Himalaya makes its own
localised weather, which varies significantly
over a distance of a few km. Despite the
sanguine assurances of Radio Nepal that the
weather will be "...mainly fair throughout the
kingdom", always expect clouds in the afternoon
and be prepared for occasional rain.
Most of the precipitation in the Himalaya occurs
during the summer monsoon. There is less snow on
the mountains and on many of the high trails
during winter. Everest itself is black rock
during the trekking season, becoming
snow-covered only during summer. There are
always exceptions to this weather pattern, so be
prepared for extremes. Winter snowstorms in
December and January may make an early spring
pass crossing difficult and can present an
avalanche danger, especially on the approach to
the Annapurna Sanctuary.
In Kathmandu, spring and autumn days are
comfortable and the evenings are cool, usually
requiring a light jacket or pullover. Winter in
Kathmandu brings cold foggy mornings and clear
evenings, but pleasant day temperatures with
brilliant sunshine most days after the morning
fog has lifted. It never snows in Kathmandu,
though there is frost on cold nights in January
and February. The hottest month is May, just
before the rains start.
Temperatures
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Temperatures in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Maximum
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Minimum
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°F
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°C
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°F
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°C
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October
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88
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31 |
58 |
14 |
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January
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66 |
19 |
37 |
3 |
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April
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84 |
29 |
46 |
8 |
Temperatures in the Everest Region average 20 to
30° F (10 to 15° C) colder than the above
figures up to about 14,000 feet, the highest
point reached on a short Everest trek. Near
Pokhara, temperatures are 5 to 10° F (3 to 5° C)
warmer than Kathmandu. Remember that it will
often feel quite cold because you will be
outdoors all day.
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