Best time to visit: March to May end; October to December
Clothing: Light/heavy woollens in summer/ winter
Local Languages: Sikkimese, Nepalese, Lepcha, Limboo, Bhutia, English and Hindi
Weather & Temperature
Summer: Max: 21&°C Min 13°C | Winter: Max: 13°C Min: 5°C
Gangtok, a north-eastern state-capital of India, boasts of balmy weather, with a certain degree of perennial chill throughout the year. Alongside being projected as a cold-weather state, Gangtok`s weather conditions can be broadly categorized as clement. Five season weather wraps up Sikkim with snow, shower, chill, moderate and frigid climatic conditions at different time of the month. Summer, winter, monsoon, autumn and spring seasons exhibit variations in temperature during accordingly. However, the average annual temperature is recorded as 18°C approximately during the year. Snowline is 6000 mts. Broadly, the weather remains bracing cool through and through the year.
Winters starts in the month of November and lasts till March and April. Temperatures see a sudden fall with mist laden through the valley. Chilling cold accompany the weather in its all months. Summers are a relief from toe-numbing chill, but the weather remains cool over all. Gangtok registers an average of 389 cm per annum and is known to receive highest rainfall in the region. Most of the Sikkim does not experiences high velocity winds, but on many tops and passes experiences high speed winds. March to May registers a sunny weather. Even through these months the weather keeps humid and wintry. In the valley, springs come early by late February or starting March lasting till May. The mountains views tend to get robed by haze and mists as the day slips into hot months and monsoon is seen on the way.
Monsoon holds out from late June to early September. During Monsoon, landslides are a common phenomenon in certain areas. From a cold weather conditions, the climatic conditions turn to humid and sultry. Autumn stays as long as two months for September to October, soothing the temperature for tourists to drop in. The whole of Sikkim has a leverage of perennial (with variations) snowfall throughout the year. With monsoon comes the threat of slides, roadblocks and leeches! Rains clear the atmosphere and views of mountains are clearly seen. Days are clear and nights are crisp and cold.
