Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, sits on the Malwa plateau in central India at around 500 metres above sea level, around a pair of large lakes at approximately 23.26°N, 77.41°E. Its elevation gives it a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) — hot summers, a wet monsoon and mild, dry winters — milder than the plains to the north, and it is known as the City of Lakes.

Summer, from March to June, is hot and dry, with May the hottest month — highs around 40–42°C — though the plateau altitude and low humidity make it more bearable than the Gangetic plain, and nights cool noticeably. The monsoon then arrives in mid-June and runs to September, bringing abundant rain, cloud and a considerable drop in temperature.

Winter, from November to February, is mild, dry and sunny, with January the coolest month — highs around 24–25°C and cool nights near 9–10°C, occasionally dropping lower during cold waves. Skies are clear and the air is crisp; this pleasant, dry, mild stretch is comfortably the best time of year on the plateau.

Bhopal receives around 1,100–1,200 mm of rain a year, almost all of it delivered by the southwest monsoon between June and September, with July and August the wettest, while the rest of the year is very dry. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Bhopal's plateau altitude gives it noticeably milder summers and cooler winter nights than the searing plains of northern India, and its large lakes moderate the local air, keeping humidity higher and temperatures a touch more even than the surrounding countryside — part of why it is known as the City of Lakes.

To follow any single measurement in Bhopal 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.