Best Time to Visit Howrah

November to February: the best stretch

This is the season to come. Skies are clear, afternoons are mild, and evenings in December and January turn properly cool. You'll want a light jacket after dark. Rain is rare, and sun hours are long, so it's easy to fit a lot into one day.

It's good for walking. You can wander the Howrah flower market (Mullick Ghat) at dawn, cross the Howrah Bridge on foot, or take a ferry over the Hooghly River to Kolkata's Prinsep Ghat. Across the river, Kolkata hosts its book fair in late January or February, and Christmas week brings lights and crowds to Park Street. This is high season, so trains and hotels fill up fast. Don't leave bookings to the last minute for Christmas and New Year.

February is still rated Excellent, but it's warming up. You'll feel the heat by late afternoon. Saraswati Puja, a spring festival, usually falls in this month. Students in yellow clothes fill the streets.

March to May: heat first, then storms

March is fair, but it's already hot. April is the hottest month, with highs of 39°C and warm nights that don't give you much relief. Midday outside is tough. If you come now, sightsee in the early morning and rest indoors in the afternoon. The Bengali New Year, Poila Boisakh, falls in mid-April. Expect sweet shops busy and families dressed up.

May brings the first big storms. Rain falls on 18 days, and the air gets heavy and sticky. Crowds are thin, so prices are lower. But it's hard to enjoy long walks.

June to October: monsoon

From June to September, rain is the main story. July is the wettest month, with 348 mm, and it rains on 28 days in both July and August. Humidity sits near 89% in August and September. Streets can flood, and trains and buses may run late. You'll see little sun, so it's a poor time for photos or long outdoor days.

Still, the monsoon has a pull for some people. It's quiet, green and cheap. Hilsa fish, a Bengali favourite, is in season, and you'll find it on menus across the city.

October is the turning point. Rain eases to 142 mm, but it's still muggy. Durga Puja usually falls in this month, or sometimes late September. It's the biggest event of the year across Howrah and Kolkata, with huge decorated pandals (temporary festival shrines) on every corner. Roads are jammed and hotels are full. If you love crowds and colour, it's worth the chaos, even with the damp.