Kota vs Bhopal weather: a month-by-month comparison

Kota vs Bhopal weather is a useful comparison for families in Madhya Pradesh sending students to Kota, and for anyone travelling between two of central India’s lake cities. Kota sits on the Chambal in Rajasthan’s Hadoti plains; Bhopal lies on the Malwa plateau to the south-east. Bhopal’s position brings it more monsoon rain, more cloud and cooler monsoon days, while Kota has the fiercer summer and warmer nights.

This comparison uses the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Climatological Tables 1991-2020 for Kota (station 42452) and Bhopal (Bairagarh) (station 42667). They are long-term averages, not a forecast.

Month by month: Kota vs Bhopal

Month	Kota max / min	Bhopal max / min	Kota rain	Bhopal rain
January	23.2 / 11.2 C	24.9 / 10.6 C	5.7 mm	11.3 mm
February	27.1 / 14.3 C	28.4 / 13.1 C	8.2 mm	9.4 mm
March	33.3 / 19.8 C	33.9 / 17.6 C	2.7 mm	8.8 mm
April	39.3 / 25.7 C	38.7 / 22.4 C	8.4 mm	6.5 mm
May	42.6 / 30.0 C	41.1 / 26.6 C	9.7 mm	14.2 mm
June	40.3 / 29.5 C	37.4 / 26.0 C	80.3 mm	132.8 mm
July	34.3 / 27.0 C	30.9 / 23.8 C	296.7 mm	367.7 mm
August	32.2 / 25.8 C	28.9 / 23.0 C	269.6 mm	326.0 mm
September	33.9 / 25.5 C	31.3 / 22.2 C	108.7 mm	175.6 mm
October	34.6 / 22.3 C	32.7 / 19.1 C	18.9 mm	31.5 mm
November	30.1 / 16.9 C	29.9 / 15.0 C	3.8 mm	8.7 mm
December	25.7 / 12.6 C	26.7 / 11.2 C	3.6 mm	8.5 mm
Year	33.1 / 21.8 C	32.0 / 19.2 C	816.2 mm	1101.0 mm

Max and min are IMD’s mean daily maximum and minimum temperatures; rain is the mean monthly total.

Summer: Kota is hotter by night

In April and May the two cities have similar daytime highs: 39.3 C and 38.7 C in April, 42.6 C and 41.1 C in May. The difference is at night. Kota’s May mean minimum is 30.0 C against 26.6 C at Bhopal, so Kota’s summer gives less relief after dark. The hottest day of an average May reaches about 46.1 C at Kota and 44.3 C at Bhopal. In June, as the monsoon reaches Bhopal first, the gap widens: Bhopal’s mean maximum falls to 37.4 C while Kota is still at 40.3 C. See Kota heatwave and Kota weather in June.

Monsoon: Bhopal is wetter, cooler and cloudier

Bhopal gets more rain in every monsoon month: 367.7 mm in July against 296.7 mm, 326.0 mm in August against 269.6 mm, and 175.6 mm in September against 108.7 mm. Over the year, IMD counts about 50.7 rainy days at Bhopal and 38.6 at Kota.

Bhopal’s monsoon is also cloudier. IMD’s tables record a fully overcast sky at 08:30 IST on about 15 mornings in July and 17 in August at Bhopal, against 8 and 9 at Kota. With more cloud and rain, Bhopal’s July and August days stay around 29 to 31 C, about 3 degrees below Kota’s. Kota’s sunny breaks between showers are hotter and more humid-feeling; our Kota wet bulb temperature guide and Kota cloud cover guide explain the effect.

Interestingly, Kota records more thunder days, about 22 a year against about 12 at Bairagarh. Much of Bhopal’s rain falls as steady monsoon rain rather than in thunderstorms. See Kota thunderstorms and Kota monsoon.

Post-monsoon and winter

October is warm in both cities, with Kota about 2 degrees warmer by day and 3 degrees warmer at night. In winter the pattern shifts: Bhopal’s afternoons are slightly warmer, 24.9 C against 23.2 C in January, while its nights are slightly cooler, 10.6 C against 11.2 C. The coldest night of an average January is about 5.9 C at Bhopal and 7.4 C at Kota. Both cities are mostly dry and sunny from November to February, with little fog: about 4 days a year at Bhopal and 3 at Kota. See Kota winter weather.

Lakes and monsoon

Both are lake cities. Bhopal’s lakes and Kota’s Kishore Sagar and the Chambal reservoirs depend on monsoon rain, and how full they are varies from year to year with the monsoon’s performance. In Kota, heavy rain upstream also matters, because releases from the Chambal dams can raise river levels in the city. Our Kota Barrage flood season guide explains what to watch.

Humidity and comfort

Bhopal’s air is more humid than Kota’s for most of the year. Annual mean relative humidity is 62 percent at 08:30 IST at Bhopal and 55 percent at Kota, and in August mornings average 89 percent at Bhopal against 80 percent at Kota. Before the monsoon both cities are dry, with May afternoon humidity around 15 to 22 percent. In practice, Kota’s pre-monsoon heat feels harsher, while Bhopal’s monsoon feels damper and cooler. See Kota humidity.

Dust, visibility and rain days

Bhopal almost never records dust storms, about 0.2 days a year, while Kota averages about 3.0, mostly from April to June. The difference reflects Kota’s drier pre-monsoon air and stronger westerly winds. Squalls are not recorded at either station.

Bhopal has more days with rain, about 71.3 a year with at least 0.3 mm against 55.6 at Kota, and about 50.7 rainy days against 38.6. Morning visibility below 1 km is similar, about 6.7 days a year at Bhopal and 8.3 at Kota, mostly in winter, though Bhopal also has a few low-visibility days in heavy monsoon rain. See Kota dust storm and Kota rainfall.

Practical tips

• Students from Bhopal arriving in Kota in April to June: expect warmer nights and hotter June days than at home. Plan for a fan or cooler and steady hydration. See Kota weather for students.
• Monsoon travel: both states see heavy rain; check IMD district warnings and road conditions before setting out. Our Kota travel weather guide has details.
• Packing: for Kota in summer bring more sun protection; for Bhopal in the monsoon, rain gear and quick-drying clothes. See what to pack for Kota.

Summary

• October to March: both are pleasant; Bhopal has slightly warmer winter afternoons and cooler nights.
• April to June: Kota is hotter, especially at night and in June.
• July to September: Bhopal is wetter, cloudier and cooler.

For more comparisons, see Kota vs Indore weather and Kota vs Delhi weather.

More comparisons: Kota vs Hyderabad weather, Kota vs Ahmedabad weather and Kota vs Mumbai weather.