Kota weather in August: the most humid month of the year

Kota weather in August is the monsoon at its most settled. Rain comes almost as often as in July, the sky is cloudy most of the time, and the air is the most humid of the whole year. Daytime temperatures are the mildest since February, but warm, damp nights and occasional sunny breaks keep it from feeling cool. Late in the month the focus often shifts from the rain itself to the rivers, as the Chambal dams upstream fill. This guide uses the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Climatological Tables 1991-2020 for the Kota Airport observatory (station 42452).

Normals describe a typical year, not the coming week. For the forecast, see the Kota weather forecast page and IMD’s district warnings.

August at a glance: IMD climate tables

Measure (Kota Airport)	July	August	September
Mean daily maximum	34.3 C	32.2 C	33.9 C
Mean daily minimum	27.0 C	25.8 C	25.5 C
Hottest day of the month (mean)	39.5 C	35.6 C	37.2 C
Rainfall	296.7 mm	269.6 mm	108.7 mm
Rainy days (2.5 mm or more)	11.6	11.2	5.8
Days with any rain (0.3 mm or more)	15.3	15.4	8.1
Days with thunder	4.9	5.3	2.5
Relative humidity, 08:30 / 17:30 IST	74% / 62%	80% / 69%	70% / 54%
Mean cloud cover, 08:30 / 17:30 IST	5.7 / 6.2 oktas	5.8 / 6.2 oktas	3.2 / 4.1 oktas
Mean wind speed	10.5 km/h	9.0 km/h	7.0 km/h

Three things stand out. The mean maximum of 32.2 C is the lowest of the four monsoon months. Morning humidity of 80 percent is the highest of the year. And August has the most days with thunder in IMD’s tables for Kota, 5.3 on average, just ahead of July.

Rain patterns in August

August rain usually arrives in spells. A low-pressure system moving across central India can bring several days of widespread, sometimes heavy rain, followed by a break of drier, brighter weather. During a break, the temperature climbs back into the mid-30s and the humidity makes it feel oppressive. During an active spell, the city can see long periods of steady rain rather than the short, sharp storms of June.

What the normal hides is the range between years. Some Augusts deliver far more than 269.6 mm in one or two big events; others are weak. IMD’s rainfall categories, explained in our IMD rainfall categories guide, tell you how much rain a warning implies.

Chambal water levels and flood season

Kota sits below a chain of large reservoirs on the Chambal. By August those reservoirs are often filling, and when heavy rain falls over the upper catchment in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, dam operators may release water downstream. That can raise the river through Kota quickly even on a day when it is not raining much in the city. This is why late August and early September are the main flood-watch period.

• Follow official notices from the district administration and water resources department during heavy-rain spells.
• The Central Water Commission’s flood forecasting site publishes river level bulletins for monitored stations.
• Stay away from riverbanks, ghats and low crossings when gates are open, and never enter flowing water.

Our Kota Barrage flood season guide explains the dam system and where to look for updates.

Living with August humidity

High humidity is the defining feature of August daily life. Clothes and towels take a long time to dry, walls and cupboards can smell musty, and food spoils faster. A few habits help:

• Run a fan in rooms where clothes are drying and open windows during dry breaks.
• Store documents, books and electronics off the floor and away from outer walls.
• Keep drinking water clean and covered, and empty any standing water around the house weekly to cut mosquito breeding.

Read more in our Kota humidity guide.

Festivals and events

August usually includes Independence Day and, in many years, Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami, whose dates follow the lunar calendar. Outdoor events in August should have a rain plan and a lightning plan; if thunder is heard, people should move indoors. See Kota lightning safety.

Visiting Kota in August

August is a green, quiet month for travel. The Chambal gorges and waterfalls around the region can be at their fullest, but roads, paths and river areas need care. Build slack into your plans, carry rain gear and check IMD warnings before day trips. Compare the season with others in best time to visit Kota.

Breaks in the monsoon

Not every August is wet from start to finish. The monsoon often has “break” periods, when rain stops over much of central and north-west India for several days. In Kota a break brings sunshine, rising temperatures and very humid, still air, with the afternoon feeling much hotter than the 32.2 C normal suggests. Breaks are a good time to dry the house, clear drains and get errands done, but they usually end with a return of heavy rain, so do not assume the season is over. IMD’s extended-range outlooks and daily monsoon updates indicate when a break is expected to end.

Farmers watch these breaks closely, because a long break during the main growing period stresses kharif crops. IMD’s district agromet advisories, described in our Kota agromet advisory guide, translate the outlook into field advice.

August by the hour

August has the smallest daily swing of the year. IMD’s mean temperature is 27.8 C at 08:30 IST and 30.4 C at 17:30 IST, with relative humidity of 80 and 69 percent. The gap between dry and wet bulb temperature at 17:30 shrinks to about 4.6 degrees, the lowest of any month, which is why August air feels damp all day. See Kota weather by time of day and Kota wet bulb temperature. Mean cloud is about 6 oktas, with roughly 9 fully overcast mornings in the month; see Kota cloud cover.

Kota’s August is warmer than on the Malwa plateau: Indore’s August mean maximum is 28.6 C against 32.2 C at Kota. See Kota vs Indore weather.

Related guides

• Kota weather in July for the month before
• Kota weather in September for the month after
• Kota thunderstorms for thunder days by month
• Kota monsoon and Kota weather by month