Kota vs Mumbai weather: what changes when you move inland

Kota vs Mumbai weather is one of the sharpest contrasts a student or family can experience inside India. Mumbai sits on the Arabian Sea, and the sea keeps its temperatures steady: warm, humid and rarely extreme. Kota lies far inland on the Chambal plains of south-east Rajasthan, where nothing moderates the seasons. The result is a city that is cooler than Mumbai in winter, much hotter in summer and much drier for most of the year. Kota Junction is on the main rail line between Delhi and Mumbai, so many students make exactly this move.

This comparison uses the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Climatological Tables 1991-2020 for Kota (station 42452) and Mumbai (Santacruz) (station 43003), the airport station often quoted for the suburbs. Colaba, in south Mumbai, has its own table and differs slightly. These are long-term averages, not a forecast. For current conditions in Kota see Kota weather today.

Month by month: Kota vs Mumbai

Month	Kota max / min	Mumbai max / min	Kota rain	Mumbai rain
January	23.2 / 11.2 C	31.2 / 16.9 C	5.7 mm	0.2 mm
February	27.1 / 14.3 C	31.7 / 18.1 C	8.2 mm	0.2 mm
March	33.3 / 19.8 C	33.1 / 21.1 C	2.7 mm	0.1 mm
April	39.3 / 25.7 C	33.4 / 24.2 C	8.4 mm	0.1 mm
May	42.6 / 30.0 C	33.7 / 27.0 C	9.7 mm	7.3 mm
June	40.3 / 29.5 C	32.5 / 26.6 C	80.3 mm	526.3 mm
July	34.3 / 27.0 C	30.4 / 25.5 C	296.7 mm	919.9 mm
August	32.2 / 25.8 C	30.2 / 25.2 C	269.6 mm	560.8 mm
September	33.9 / 25.5 C	30.9 / 24.9 C	108.7 mm	383.5 mm
October	34.6 / 22.3 C	33.6 / 23.9 C	18.9 mm	91.3 mm
November	30.1 / 16.9 C	34.1 / 21.4 C	3.8 mm	11.0 mm
December	25.7 / 12.6 C	32.6 / 18.4 C	3.6 mm	1.6 mm
Year	33.1 / 21.8 C	32.3 / 22.8 C	816.2 mm	2,502.3 mm

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

The big difference: range, not average

The yearly averages look almost the same: a mean maximum of 33.1 C at Kota and 32.3 C at Mumbai. That hides the real story. Mumbai’s monthly mean maximum stays between 30.2 C and 34.1 C all year, a spread of about four degrees. Kota’s runs from 23.2 C in January to 42.6 C in May, a spread of almost twenty degrees. The same is true at night: Kota’s monthly mean minimum ranges from 11.2 C to 30.0 C, Mumbai’s from 16.9 C to 27.0 C.

For someone used to Mumbai, the adjustment is not to a “hotter” or “cooler” place but to a place with real seasons. Clothing, sleep, water intake and daily routine all have to change two or three times a year. Our Kota weather by month guide walks through each one.

Summer: Kota is much hotter

From April to June Kota is far hotter than Mumbai. April averages 39.3 C at Kota against 33.4 C at Santacruz; May 42.6 C against 33.7 C; June 40.3 C against 32.5 C. The hottest day of an average May reaches about 46.1 C at Kota. Nights are warmer too, 30.0 C against 27.0 C in May.

Kota’s heat is also very dry. In May its relative humidity averages 31 percent at 08:30 IST and just 15 percent at 17:30; Mumbai’s averages 70 and 64 percent. The mean wet bulb temperature, which combines heat and humidity, is actually higher in Mumbai in May (about 26 C against 22 C), which is why Mumbai’s pre-monsoon weeks feel so sticky. In Kota sweat evaporates quickly, but the body loses water fast and the sun is fierce. Read Kota heatwave, Kota wet bulb temperature and Kota weather in May.

Winter: Kota is properly cold

Mumbai has no real winter; Kota does. Kota’s January afternoons average 23.2 C against 31.2 C in Mumbai, and nights 11.2 C against 16.9 C. The coldest night of an average January is about 7.4 C at Kota. Clear skies and dry air let Kota’s temperature fall fast after sunset, so mornings and evenings feel colder than the numbers suggest to someone arriving from the coast.

Students moving from Mumbai often arrive without enough warm clothing. Plan for a jacket, a sweater, warm socks, a cap for early classes and a proper quilt from December to February. Kota rarely gets the dense, days-long fog of north India, but winter mornings can be misty. See Kota winter weather and Kota weather in January.

Monsoon: Mumbai’s is longer and heavier

Mumbai’s monsoon dwarfs Kota’s. Santacruz receives 526.3 mm in June and 919.9 mm in July, against 80.3 mm and 296.7 mm at Kota. Over the year Mumbai averages about 78.6 rainy days to Kota’s 38.6, and about 99 days with at least 0.3 mm of rain against about 56 at Kota. The monsoon also lasts longer on the coast, with 91.3 mm in October against 18.9 mm at Kota.

Kota’s monsoon months are hotter than Mumbai’s: July averages 34.3 C at Kota against 30.4 C at Santacruz. Between showers, Kota can be humid and close, but there are also breaks of sunshine that Mumbai rarely sees in July. Mumbai students will find Kota’s rain manageable, though heavy bursts still flood low streets and the Chambal can run high when dams release water. See Kota monsoon and Kota rainfall.

Sky and sun

Kota has far more clear skies. IMD’s tables record about 186 mornings a year with no cloud at 08:30 IST at Kota against about 122 at Santacruz, and Mumbai has about 35 overcast mornings against 27 at Kota. Day length differs too: Kota lies about six degrees further north than Mumbai, so its winter days are shorter and its summer days longer, and its January sunrises come after 7 am. See Kota cloud cover and Kota sunrise and sunset times.

Air quality and dust

Mumbai’s sea breeze helps clear its air for much of the year. Kota has no such help: in winter, calm and cool mornings trap smoke and dust near the ground, and from April to June dry westerly winds raise dust, with about 3 dust storm days a year in IMD’s Kota table against none at Santacruz. People with asthma or allergies should check the CPCB index before outdoor exercise and keep a mask for dusty days. See Kota air quality and Kota dust storm.

Moving from Mumbai to Kota: a quick checklist

• Winter clothes: jacket, sweater, warm socks, cap and a quilt for December to February.
• Summer routine: move errands and exercise to early morning or evening from April to June, and keep water with you. Our Kota weather for students guide covers hostel life in each season.
• Skin and eyes: Kota’s dry air in spring dries skin, lips and eyes; moisturiser and lip balm help.
• Monsoon: your Mumbai umbrella and footwear are more than enough.
• Travel: for long train journeys between the two cities, check IMD warnings for both states and train running status before leaving.

For other comparisons see Kota vs Ahmedabad weather, Kota vs Hyderabad weather and Kota vs Delhi weather, and for packing lists what to pack for Kota.