Kota weather in February: the mild end of winter

Kota weather in February marks the gentle exit from winter. Mornings are fresh rather than cold, afternoons are warm and sunny, the air is dry and rain is unusual. For visitors it is one of the easiest months of the year, and for residents it is the last stretch of comfortable weather before the heat builds in March and April. This guide uses the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) 1991-2020 climatological tables for the Kota Airport observatory to describe a normal February, and explains what those numbers mean for clothes, plans and travel.

Normals are long-term averages, not a forecast. For the next few days, see where to get the live Kota weather forecast.

February at a glance: IMD climate tables

All figures below are from IMD’s Climatological Tables 1991-2020 for station Kota (42452), published on IMD’s Data Service Portal.

Measure (Kota Airport)	January	February	March
Mean daily maximum	23.2 C	27.1 C	33.3 C
Mean daily minimum	11.2 C	14.3 C	19.8 C
Hottest day of the month (mean)	29.3 C	33.5 C	39.5 C
Coldest night of the month (mean)	7.4 C	10.0 C	14.4 C
Rainfall	5.7 mm	8.2 mm	2.7 mm
Rainy days (2.5 mm or more)	0.7	0.7	0.6
Days with thunder	0.3	0.7	0.7
Days with fog	1.8	0.6	0.0
Relative humidity, 08:30 / 17:30 IST	67% / 40%	53% / 30%	38% / 19%
Mean wind speed	3.3 km/h	4.2 km/h	5.1 km/h

“Hottest day of the month (mean)” is IMD’s mean of the highest maximum in the month: in a typical February, the single warmest afternoon reaches about 33.5 C. “Coldest night” is the mean of the lowest minimum in the month.

How February changes from start to end

February is a month of steady warming. Both the daily maximum and minimum are 3 to 4 C higher than in January, and the climb continues through the month. In practice:

• First week: mornings can still feel wintry, around 10 to 12 C on the coolest days, and a jacket is welcome at dawn and after dark.
• Middle of the month: afternoons in the mid-twenties, nights in the low to mid-teens. Most people need only a light layer in the evening.
• Last week: the first hot afternoons, with the warmest days reaching the low thirties. Fans come back on in many homes.

The daily range is large, often 12 to 13 C between dawn and mid-afternoon, because the air is dry and the skies are clear. That is why layering works better than a single heavy jacket.

Rain, thunder and western disturbances

A normal February at Kota Airport gets 8.2 mm of rain, on 0.7 rainy days. IMD’s tables also count 1.0 day with any measurable precipitation (0.3 mm or more) and 0.7 days with thunder. Put simply, many Februaries pass with no significant rain at all, and the rest get one or two short wet spells.

Those spells usually come with a western disturbance, a weather system moving in from the west. Its typical sequence is a cloudy, slightly warmer day, a spell of rain or a thunderstorm, and then a clear, cooler day with a fresh northerly breeze. If a thunderstorm is forecast, our Kota lightning safety guide explains what to do outdoors.

Morning haze and fog

Fog becomes uncommon in February. IMD’s tables give 0.6 fog days at Kota Airport, compared with 1.8 in January. Hazy mornings are still frequent: the station records reduced visibility (1 to 4 km) at the 08:30 IST observation on about 13 to 14 days of an average February, against only about one day in the late afternoon. Haze usually clears by late morning as the sun warms the ground and mixes the air.

Calm, hazy mornings are also when air quality tends to be poorest. If you are sensitive to pollution, check the CPCB index before an early run or walk; see Kota air quality for how to read it.

Humidity and how the air feels

February air is dry. Relative humidity averages 53 percent at the 08:30 IST observation and 30 percent at 17:30 IST. Low humidity makes warm afternoons feel comfortable rather than sticky, but it also dries the skin and lips. A moisturiser, lip balm and a water bottle are worth carrying. Our Kota humidity guide compares every month.

What to wear and pack

• Light cotton shirts, kurtas or T-shirts for the daytime.
• A light jacket, sweater or shawl for early mornings and nights, especially in the first half of the month.
• Sunglasses, a cap and sunscreen; the February sun is strong by midday.
• Comfortable closed shoes for walking at the Garh palace, the old city and the riverfront.

See what to pack for Kota for a full list by season.

Visiting Kota in February

February suits almost every kind of trip. Long days out at the riverfront, the Garh palace and museums, the gardens and temples are comfortable from morning to late afternoon. Evening walks by the Chambal are pleasant, and the dry, clear air is good for photography. Day trips to nearby forts and reservoirs are easy because the midday heat is still moderate.

For students and families settling into coaching hostels, February is a comfortable month, though the warming at the end of it is a good reminder to check fans, coolers and water supply before the heat arrives. Our Kota weather for students guide covers the year from that point of view.

Planning around the forecast

Normals tell you what to expect; forecasts tell you what will happen. A week before you travel:

1. Check the IMD forecast for Kota on mausam.imd.gov.in or the Mausam app.
2. Look at the district warnings map for any thunderstorm or lightning alerts.
3. If a western disturbance is due, plan outdoor sightseeing around the wet day rather than cancelling the trip.

February mornings and evenings

IMD’s tables show how much a February day changes. At 08:30 IST the mean temperature is 17.5 C with 53 percent relative humidity; by 17:30 IST it has climbed to 25.7 C and the humidity has fallen to 30 percent. Mornings are still calm on about 41 percent of days, so early haze is common, while the sky is completely cloudless on about 19 mornings in the month. In practice, February is a month for late-morning starts and outdoor afternoons. Our Kota weather by time of day guide compares every month, and Kota cloud cover shows why February skies are so reliably blue. Visitors from Delhi will find Kota about 3 to 4 degrees warmer by day and night in February; see Kota vs Delhi weather.

Related guides

• Kota weather in January for the month before
• Kota weather in March for the month after
• Kota weather by month for the full year
• Best time to visit Kota