Rainfall in Nainital
Nainital gets 81% of its rain from the monsoon, June to September, and July is its wettest month. In 2025 it got 1,520 mm, 14% above average (normal).
Month-wise rainfall in Nainital
Average rain in each month, 2006–2025.
| Month | Average rain | Share of the year |
|---|---|---|
| January | 31 mm | 2% |
| February | 42 mm | 3% |
| March | 35 mm | 3% |
| April | 28 mm | 2% |
| May | 62 mm | 5% |
| June | 157 mm | 12% |
| July | 391 mm | 29% |
| August | 323 mm | 24% |
| September | 199 mm | 15% |
| October | 44 mm | 3% |
| November | 5 mm | 0% |
| December | 11 mm | 1% |
Yearly rainfall in Nainital since 2006
Lighter bars are dry years, 20% or more below average (2016), when wells and borewells are drawn hardest. The last ten years averaged 13% less rain than the ten before.
What Nainital'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 Nainital sheds about 1,12,965 litres in an average year, most of it in four monsoon 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 Nainital?
About 1,329 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 2013 (1,908 mm) and the driest was 2016 (1,005 mm).
Which month gets the most rain in Nainital?
July, with 391 mm in an average year, followed by August and September. November is the driest month (5 mm).
How much of Nainital's rain falls in the monsoon?
81% of a normal year's rain falls from June to September. 5 months average 50 mm or more.
How much did it rain in Nainital in 2025?
1,520 mm, which is 14% above the 2006–2025 average, or "normal" in the India Meteorological Department's terms.
Is rainfall in Nainital increasing or decreasing?
The last 10 years averaged 13% less rain than the 10 before them. Year-to-year swings are still bigger than that change.
How much rainwater can a house in Nainital harvest?
A 100 m² (about 1,076 sq ft) concrete roof in Nainital sheds about 1,12,965 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 Nainital district. It reads close to, but not exactly the same as, India Meteorological Department rain-gauge totals, and rain varies within a district.