Kathmandu features a humid subtropical climate with dry winters (Köppen climate classification: Cwa). The city experiences four distinct seasons: spring, summer (monsoon), autumn, and winter. Average temperatures range from 10°C (50°F) in January to 24°C (75°F) in July, with daytime highs in the summer often reaching 30°C (86°F).
The summer monsoon season, lasting from June to September, brings the vast majority of the city's annual rainfall (averaging about 1,400 mm to 1,500 mm annually). During this time, high humidity and frequent heavy downpours are common. Winter (December to February) brings cool, clear days with cold nights, often dropping close to freezing, though snow in the city itself is extremely rare.
The best times to visit Kathmandu are during the spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), when skies are generally clear, temperatures are comfortable, and visibility of the surrounding Himalayan peaks is at its best. Natural disasters of primary concern are earthquakes, due to the city's location on major tectonic fault lines, as well as localized flooding during the monsoon.