Rainfall in Leh
Leh gets 47% of its rain from the monsoon, June to September, and August is its wettest month. In 2025 it got 489 mm, 55% above average (excess).
Month-wise rainfall in Leh
Average rain in each month, 2006–2025.
| Month | Average rain | Share of the year |
|---|---|---|
| January | 26 mm | 8% |
| February | 25 mm | 8% |
| March | 32 mm | 10% |
| April | 26 mm | 8% |
| May | 20 mm | 6% |
| June | 19 mm | 6% |
| July | 52 mm | 16% |
| August | 53 mm | 17% |
| September | 24 mm | 8% |
| October | 11 mm | 3% |
| November | 14 mm | 4% |
| December | 13 mm | 4% |
Yearly rainfall in Leh since 2006
Lighter bars are dry years, 20% or more below average (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), when wells and borewells are drawn hardest. The last ten years averaged 152% more rain than the ten before.
What Leh's rain is worth to a building
Every millimetre of rain on a square metre of roof is a litre of water. A 100 m² roof in Leh sheds about 26,860 litres in an average year, most of it in a few wet months. Sent into a recharge pit, it refills the ground instead of flooding the street.
Your building: how much can you recharge?
1 mm of rain on 1 m² is 1 litre. The surface factor allows for water lost to splash, evaporation and first-flush.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average annual rainfall in Leh?
About 316 mm a year, averaged over 2006–2025 from NASA POWER satellite and weather-model data for the centre of the district. The wettest year in that time was 2023 (514 mm) and the driest was 2009 (93 mm).
Which month gets the most rain in Leh?
August, with 53 mm in an average year, followed by July and March. October is the driest month (11 mm).
How much of Leh's rain falls in the monsoon?
47% of a normal year's rain falls from June to September. 2 months average 50 mm or more.
How much did it rain in Leh in 2025?
489 mm, which is 55% above the 2006–2025 average, or "excess" in the India Meteorological Department's terms.
Is rainfall in Leh increasing or decreasing?
The last 10 years averaged 152% more rain than the 10 before them. Year-to-year swings are still bigger than that change.
How much rainwater can a house in Leh harvest?
A 100 m² (about 1,076 sq ft) concrete roof in Leh sheds about 26,860 litres in an average year: area × rainfall × 0.85 for splash and evaporation. Sent into a recharge pit, that refills the ground under the house instead of running into the drain.
Rainfall from NASA POWER (bias-corrected satellite and weather-model rainfall) at the centre of Leh district. It reads close to, but not exactly the same as, India Meteorological Department rain-gauge totals, and rain varies within a district.