Bangalore (Bengaluru), the capital of Karnataka, sits on the Deccan Plateau in southern India at around 920 metres above sea level, at approximately 12.97°N, 77.59°E. Although it lies deep in the tropics, its altitude gives it one of the most agreeable climates of any major Indian city — warm rather than scorching, with a moderate temperature range — earning it a long-standing reputation as India's 'air-conditioned' or garden city. The year divides into a dry season and a monsoon-fed wet season.

The hottest, driest period comes before the monsoon, from March to May, with April and May the warmest — highs around 33–34°C, the record just above 39°C — tempered by the elevation so that it rarely becomes oppressive, and evenings stay pleasant. Pre-monsoon thunderstorms build through May. The southwest monsoon then runs from June to September, but because most of its moisture is spent on the Western Ghats to the west, Bangalore's monsoon rain is only moderate rather than torrential.

Winter, from November to February, is mild, dry and the most pleasant time, with warm days around 27–28°C and cool nights that can drop to 12–15°C, occasionally to 10°C or below — the airport once recorded 8.8°C. The comfortable warmth by day and the crisp, cool evenings make this the best season, and the mild humidity keeps the air fresh rather than sticky.

Bangalore receives around 900–970 mm of rain a year, spread across a long wet season: the southwest monsoon from June to September, followed by the retreating northeast monsoon rains of September to November, when September and October are typically the wettest and rain can fall on most days. December to March is dry. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Bangalore's defining feature is its altitude-tempered mildness: at nearly 1,000 metres it is consistently cooler and fresher than the sweltering plains and coasts of India, with no truly hot or cold season. Sitting far inland, it escapes the direct force of tropical cyclones, though systems from the Bay of Bengal can occasionally bring heavy rain and localised flooding, as in November 2015.

To follow any single measurement in Bangalore more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.