Climate in West Bengal
Rainfall patterns, temperature trends, and extreme weather events across West Bengal's 23 districts.
West Bengal's climate is a tale of geographic extremes. Coastal and Himalayan foothill districts get more than 2,500 mm of rainfall a year; the western laterite belt gets under 1,200 mm. Three-quarters of the annual rain arrives in just four monsoon months. And the state-average temperature has drifted upward by roughly half a degree in three decades — consistent with national warming.
Key figures & data tables
West Bengal averages about 1,965 mm of rain a year across its 23 districts, against an all-India average of 1,160 mm. The spread is the story: Alipurduar receives 3,650 mm while Purulia gets 1,310 mm — more than a 2.8-fold difference within one state.
Rainfall is concentrated in four months: 78% of the annual total falls in the monsoon. The wettest month is Jul and the driest Jan.
Average temperature has risen from 25.5°C in 2015 to 22.3°C in 2026 (-3.2°C over 11 years), tracking the national figure of 21.5°C. The state has absorbed 7 recorded major extreme events in the period covered, including Cyclone Amphan (2020).
The rows behind the charts above — 4 tables
›Annual and seasonal rainfall by West Bengal district (mm)(23 rows)
Source: India Meteorological Department; Open-Meteo historical reanalysis.
| District | Annual | Monsoon | Post-monsoon | Winter | Pre-monsoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alipurduar | 3,650 | 2,920 | 285 | 25 | 420 |
| Darjeeling | 3,412 | 2,805 | 189 | 28 | 390 |
| Jalpaiguri | 3,200 | 2,560 | 238 | 22 | 380 |
| Cooch Behar | 2,900 | 2,320 | 217 | 18 | 345 |
| Kalimpong | 2,800 | 2,240 | 200 | 30 | 330 |
| Kolkata | 1,893 | 1,326 | 224 | 67 | 275 |
| Medinipur (Purba) | 1,876 | 1,349 | 236 | 73 | 218 |
| Howrah | 1,874 | 1,323 | 215 | 69 | 267 |
| Uttar Dinajpur | 1,820 | 1,456 | 137 | 15 | 212 |
| South 24 Parganas | 1,812 | 1,450 | 147 | 20 | 195 |
| Medinipur (Paschim) | 1,724 | 1,265 | 179 | 57 | 224 |
| Dakshin Dinajpur | 1,700 | 1,360 | 129 | 16 | 195 |
| North 24 Parganas | 1,632 | 1,310 | 125 | 22 | 175 |
| Murshidabad | 1,631 | 1,129 | 149 | 45 | 307 |
| Barddhaman (Purba) | 1,619 | 1,169 | 166 | 61 | 223 |
| Malda | 1,611 | 1,191 | 138 | 31 | 251 |
| Barddhaman (Paschim) | 1,582 | 1,175 | 157 | 50 | 200 |
| Nadia | 1,510 | 1,208 | 109 | 23 | 170 |
| Hooghly | 1,480 | 1,185 | 101 | 26 | 168 |
| Jhargram | 1,420 | 1,136 | 103 | 19 | 162 |
| Bankura | 1,380 | 1,104 | 100 | 24 | 152 |
| Birbhum | 1,350 | 1,080 | 97 | 25 | 148 |
| Purulia | 1,310 | 1,048 | 95 | 22 | 145 |
›Average monthly rainfall in West Bengal (mm)(12 rows)
| Month | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 11 |
| Feb | 23 |
| Mar | 32 |
| Apr | 64 |
| May | 168 |
| Jun | 273 |
| Jul | 404 |
| Aug | 389 |
| Sep | 324 |
| Oct | 166 |
| Nov | 17 |
| Dec | 21 |
›Temperature trend in West Bengal vs India (°C)(12 rows)
| Year | Max | Min | Average | India average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,015 | 30.1 | 21.7 | 25.5 | 24.8 |
| 2,016 | 30.5 | 22 | 25.8 | 25 |
| 2,017 | 30.3 | 21.8 | 25.6 | 24.9 |
| 2,018 | 30.1 | 21.1 | 25.2 | 24.6 |
| 2,019 | 30.2 | 21.5 | 25.4 | 24.7 |
| 2,020 | 29.9 | 21.3 | 25.2 | 24.5 |
| 2,021 | 30.4 | 21.6 | 25.5 | 24.7 |
| 2,022 | 30.5 | 21.3 | 25.4 | 24.6 |
| 2,023 | 31.4 | 21.7 | 26.1 | 25.1 |
| 2,024 | 31 | 21.7 | 25.9 | 24.9 |
| 2,025 | 30.8 | 21.6 | 25.7 | 24.8 |
| 2,026 | 28.7 | 16.8 | 22.3 | 21.5 |
›Major extreme weather events affecting West Bengal(7 rows)
| Year | Event | Type | Districts affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,020 | Cyclone Amphan | Cyclone | South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas |
| 2,021 | Cyclone Yaas | Cyclone | Purba Medinipur, South 24 Parganas |
| 2,022 | Severe Floods | Flood | Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia |
| 2,023 | Heat Wave | Heat Wave | Bankura, Purulia, Birbhum, Barddhaman |
| 2,023 | Flash Floods | Flood | Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri |
| 2,024 | Cyclone Remal | Cyclone | South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Kolkata |
| 2,024 | Severe Heat Wave | Heat Wave | Bankura, Purulia, Birbhum, Paschim Barddhaman |