Kota weather in May: the peak of the summer heat

Kota weather in May is the hardest of the year. It is the hottest month on average, the nights hardly cool down, hot westerly winds blow through the afternoon, and dust storms and thunderstorms can arrive with little warning in the evening. For residents and students, May is about routine: doing the day’s work early, staying out of the midday sun and keeping water close. This guide uses the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) 1991-2020 climatological tables for the Kota Airport observatory to describe a normal May and explains how to get through it safely.

Normals are long-term averages, not a forecast. Check the live Kota weather forecast and IMD warnings for the days ahead.

May at a glance: IMD climate tables

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

Measure (Kota Airport)	April	May	June
Mean daily maximum	39.3 C	42.6 C	40.3 C
Mean daily minimum	25.7 C	30.0 C	29.5 C
Hottest day of the month (mean)	43.7 C	46.1 C	45.2 C
Coolest night of the month (mean)	20.1 C	24.0 C	23.9 C
Temperature at 17:30 IST (mean)	37.7 C	41.0 C	38.2 C
Rainfall	8.4 mm	9.7 mm	80.3 mm
Rainy days (2.5 mm or more)	0.8	1.0	4.7
Days with thunder	1.0	1.6	4.1
Days with dust storm	0.6	0.9	1.2
Relative humidity, 08:30 / 17:30 IST	26% / 13%	31% / 15%	50% / 33%
Mean wind speed	6.5 km/h	9.8 km/h	11.1 km/h

Two numbers explain May. The mean maximum of 42.6 C is the highest of any month, and the mean minimum of 30.0 C means that an average May night is as warm as a pleasant afternoon in February. The temperature is still about 41 C at 17:30 IST on an average day.

Why May nights matter

People often focus on the afternoon peak, but warm nights are what wear the body down. When the minimum stays near 30 C, homes, especially top floors and rooms with west-facing walls, do not cool off before the next day’s heat begins. Sleep suffers, and heat builds up day after day.

Practical ways to cope at night:

• Close curtains and windows on the sunny side during the day, and open them once the outside air is cooler than the room, usually late evening.
• Wet a cotton sheet or use a cooler with fresh water; in dry May air, evaporative coolers work well.
• Sleep in the coolest room, often the lowest floor.
• Keep a bottle of water by the bed.

Loo winds and the afternoon

May afternoons in Kota are dominated by hot, dry winds from the west, often called loo. IMD’s tables show that the wind blows from the west on about 36 percent of mornings and from the west or north-west on about half of afternoons at the observatory, and the mean wind speed rises to 9.8 km/h, the strongest of the dry season. Hot wind does not cool you when the air is above body temperature; it dries you out faster. Cover your head and neck and avoid long exposure. See our Kota wind guide for wind patterns through the year.

Dust storms and thunderstorms

May averages 0.9 dust storm days and 1.6 thunder days at Kota Airport, and IMD’s tables count 2 days with winds of 20 km/h or more at the morning observation. Storms usually build in the afternoon or evening. Typical signs are a sudden drop in temperature, a strong gust, a brown wall of dust and, sometimes, a short burst of rain and lightning.

When a storm approaches:

• Get indoors and away from windows, hoardings, trees and tin roofs.
• If you are on a two-wheeler, stop in a safe place.
• After the storm, watch for fallen wires and branches.

Our Kota dust storm guide and lightning safety guide cover both in detail.

Heatwaves and heat illness

May is the main heatwave month. IMD issues heatwave warnings for districts when the maximum crosses set thresholds, using colour codes. When a warning is out:

• Avoid outdoor work and travel between about 12 and 4 pm.
• Wear light, loose cotton and a hat or scarf.
• Drink water regularly and add salts on long days.
• Watch elderly people, young children, outdoor workers and anyone with heart or kidney disease closely.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Signs include confusion, a very high body temperature, hot dry skin, vomiting or fainting. Move the person to shade, cool them with water and fanning, and get medical help at once. Our Kota heatwave guide explains the IMD criteria and warning colours.

Water, power and daily life

Long hot days push up demand for water and electricity. Store some drinking water, keep phones charged in case of power cuts, and plan cooking for the cooler parts of the day. Students in hostels and PGs should check that the cooler is filled and the water tank is clean. Our Kota weather for students guide has a summer checklist.

Visiting Kota in May

May is the least comfortable month to visit. If you must travel, book air-conditioned transport and rooms, sightsee at dawn, rest through the afternoon and go out after sunset. Many visitors prefer the riverfront and markets in the evening. Compare other months in best time to visit Kota.

May in the station tables: dry heat, clear mornings

May has Kota’s hottest air and its clearest mornings. IMD’s mean temperature is 34.2 C at 08:30 IST and 41.0 C at 17:30 IST; mean cloud at 08:30 is only 0.9 oktas, with about 22 cloudless mornings. Yet the wet bulb temperature at 17:30 is 22.5 C, well below July’s, because afternoon humidity averages 15 percent. That is dry heat: sweat evaporates fast, so dehydration rather than stickiness is the main risk. Read Kota wet bulb temperature and Kota weather by time of day.

Students arriving from other states in May face a sharper change than they may expect. Kota’s May mean maximum of 42.6 C compares with 37.5 C at Patna, 39.9 C at Lucknow and 39.9 C at New Delhi (Safdarjung). See Kota vs Patna weather, Kota vs Lucknow weather and Kota vs Delhi weather.

Related guides

• Kota weather in April for the month before
• Kota monsoon for June onwards
• Kota temperature for the full temperature picture
• Kota weather by month