Kota temperature: averages, extremes and daily range

Kota temperature swings from cool winter mornings near 11 C to summer afternoons above 42 C, making the city one of the more extreme climates among India’s large cities. This guide brings together the official averages and records from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the Kota Airport observatory, explains the daily range in each season, and shows how humidity changes what the thermometer means.

Average temperatures by month

IMD 1991-2020 normals, Kota Airport:

Month	Mean max	Mean min	Daily mean	Daily range
January	23.2 C	11.2 C	17.3 C	12.0 C
February	27.1 C	14.3 C	20.8 C	12.8 C
March	33.3 C	19.8 C	26.6 C	13.5 C
April	39.3 C	25.7 C	32.6 C	13.6 C
May	42.6 C	30.0 C	36.3 C	12.6 C
June	40.3 C	29.5 C	34.7 C	10.8 C
July	34.3 C	27.0 C	30.5 C	7.3 C
August	32.2 C	25.8 C	29.0 C	6.4 C
September	33.9 C	25.5 C	29.6 C	8.4 C
October	34.6 C	22.3 C	28.5 C	12.3 C
November	30.1 C	16.9 C	23.7 C	13.2 C
December	25.7 C	12.6 C	18.7 C	13.1 C
Year	33.1 C	21.8 C	27.4 C	11.3 C

The daily range column is simply the difference between the mean maximum and the mean minimum.

Daily mean temperature: the whole-day average

The mean maximum and minimum describe the two ends of the day. The daily mean, the average across the whole 24 hours, is a better guide to how a month feels overall and to how much cooling or heating a home needs. The Tokyo Climate Center’s 1991-2020 daily means for Kota are:

Month	Daily mean	Month	Daily mean
January	17.3 C	July	30.5 C
February	20.8 C	August	29.0 C
March	26.6 C	September	29.6 C
April	32.6 C	October	28.5 C
May	36.3 C	November	23.7 C
June	34.7 C	December	18.7 C

The year’s daily mean is 27.4 C. May’s mean of 36.3 C is the clearest sign of how little relief Kota’s hot season gives: even averaged over the night, the temperature stays in the mid-thirties. Compare that with January, where the whole-day average is just over 17 C.

Record highs and lows

The extremes recorded at Kota Airport between 1961 and 2020:

Month	Record high	Record low
January	33.9 C	1.7 C
February	38.3 C	2.2 C
March	42.8 C	8.6 C
April	47.5 C	14.0 C
May	48.5 C	17.5 C
June	47.8 C	18.8 C
July	47.2 C	16.4 C
August	42.0 C	18.0 C
September	41.0 C	16.4 C
October	41.1 C	13.0 C
November	38.0 C	7.1 C
December	33.9 C	2.6 C

Records are single readings and say little about a typical day. They are useful to know the limits: summer heat in Kota can reach dangerous levels, and winter cold, while rarely severe, can approach freezing on the coldest mornings.

What the daily range tells you

In the dry months, from October to May, the difference between morning and afternoon is around 12 to 14 C. Clear skies let the ground lose heat overnight and heat up quickly after sunrise. That is why a January morning needs a jacket and the afternoon does not, and why April sightseeing should start at dawn.

In the monsoon, cloud and moisture act like a blanket. The range shrinks to 6 to 8 C: nights stay warm, days are less extreme, and the air feels heavy. See Kota monsoon for more.

Humidity and how heat feels

IMD’s normals for relative humidity at 5:30 pm show how much the air changes through the year: around 13 to 19 percent in March to May, rising to about a third in June and over 60 percent in July and August. Dry heat at 40 C is draining but allows sweat to cool you; humid heat at 36 C can feel just as bad because sweat does not evaporate. That is why late June, before the rain arrives in force, is often the most uncomfortable time of the year, even though May is hotter on paper.

Kota compared with Jaipur

Kota is slightly hotter than Jaipur on average: an annual mean maximum of 33.1 C against 32.5 C, and 42.6 C against 41.1 C in May, using IMD 1991-2020 normals for both airports. The bigger difference is at night. Kota’s summer nights run about 2 to 3 C warmer than Jaipur’s, while in winter Jaipur’s mornings are colder (a January mean minimum of 8.4 C against 11.2 C). The full month-by-month comparison is in Kota vs Jaipur weather, and the effect of humidity on how these temperatures feel is covered in Kota humidity.

Is it getting hotter?

Like most of India, Rajasthan has warmed over recent decades, and heatwaves have become a regular feature of summer. We do not quote a single local trend figure, because station records need careful analysis to separate real change from changes in instruments and surroundings. IMD’s annual climate statements and the reports of its climate research services are the reliable sources on long-term change.

Using temperatures for planning

• For daily decisions: compare the forecast maximum to the normal for the month in the table above. A day several degrees above normal is a day to change plans. See Kota weather today.
• For heat: read Kota heatwave for IMD’s thresholds and safety advice.
• For cold: read Kota winter weather for cold waves and fog, and the month guides for December and January.
• For travel: best time to visit Kota turns these numbers into recommendations.

Morning, evening and the feel of the heat

Beyond daily highs and lows, IMD’s 1991-2020 tables give the temperature at two fixed hours. In January the mean is 13.7 C at 08:30 IST and 21.6 C at 17:30 IST; in May, 34.2 C and 41.0 C. Our Kota weather by time of day guide sets out every month. The same tables give the wet bulb temperature, which shows how humid heat feels: it peaks in July, not May. See Kota wet bulb temperature.

Kota compared with other cities

Kota’s annual mean maximum of 33.1 C and mean minimum of 21.8 C are higher than at New Delhi (Safdarjung) (31.4 / 18.9 C), Lucknow (31.9 / 18.7 C), Patna (31.3 / 20.0 C), Indore (32.1 / 18.4 C) and Bhopal (32.0 / 19.2 C) in the same IMD tables. The biggest difference is at night. See Kota vs Delhi weather and Kota vs Indore weather.