Chiang Mai climate
Chiang Mai (Thailand) has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). The average temperature over the year is 26 °C79 °F, and about 1,246 mm49 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Chiang Mai climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2883 | 1661 | 2272 | 150.6 |
| Feb | 3290 | 1763 | 2576 | 50.2 |
| Mar | 3595 | 2067 | 2781 | 230.9 |
| Apr | 3798 | 2374 | 3086 | 632.5 |
| May | 3493 | 2475 | 2984 | 1897.4 |
| Jun | 3290 | 2474 | 2882 | 1415.6 |
| Jul | 3188 | 2374 | 2781 | 1787.0 |
| Aug | 3086 | 2374 | 2780 | 2379.3 |
| Sep | 3086 | 2374 | 2680 | 2228.7 |
| Oct | 2985 | 2271 | 2678 | 1234.9 |
| Nov | 2883 | 1966 | 2475 | 371.4 |
| Dec | 2781 | 1662 | 2271 | 130.5 |
| Year | 3798 | 1661 | 2679 | 1,24649 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67% | 28% | 4.6 | 11:07 |
| Feb | 56% | 21% | 5.3 | 11:30 |
| Mar | 52% | 32% | 5.6 | 11:59 |
| Apr | 56% | 47% | 6.0 | 12:33 |
| May | 75% | 80% | 5.4 | 13:01 |
| Jun | 81% | 94% | 4.6 | 13:15 |
| Jul | 83% | 95% | 4.2 | 13:09 |
| Aug | 87% | 95% | 4.1 | 12:46 |
| Sep | 89% | 89% | 4.5 | 12:13 |
| Oct | 87% | 69% | 4.4 | 11:41 |
| Nov | 82% | 41% | 4.6 | 11:13 |
| Dec | 76% | 34% | 4.4 | 11:00 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Chiang Mai is like
The warmest month is April, with an average high of 37 °C98 °F and a low of 23 °C74 °F. The coldest is December, when highs average 27 °C81 °F and lows 16 °C62 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 8.2 °C14.8 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,246 mm49 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is July–September, which brings 51% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: December–February. The wettest month is August (237 mm9.3 in), the driest is February (5 mm0.2 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 52% in March to 89% in September. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 21%) are typical of February. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 0 km/h (0 mph) in June to 1 km/h (1 mph) in January. Daylight lasts from about 11.0 hours in December to 13.3 hours in June.
Best time to visit Chiang Mai
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are November–January. Average highs then reach 27 °C81 °F to 28 °C83 °F. Precipitation is 13 mm0.5 in to 37 mm1.4 in per month.
The most challenging month is August, which is hot, with average highs of 30 °C86 °F, very wet (237 mm9.3 in) and humid (87% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Chiang Mai
- Wetter months (May–October) — highs 2985 to 34 °C93 °F, lows 2271 to 24 °C75 °F, about 182 mm7.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Drier months (November–April) — highs 2781 to 37 °C98 °F, lows 1661 to 23 °C74 °F, about 26 mm1.0 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
How Chiang Mai compares
The nearest larger place is Lampang, about 77 km to the southeast. Compared with it, Chiang Mai is on average 0.5 °C0.9 °F cooler. It receives a similar amount of precipitation. The difference is largest in March (1.2 °C2.1 °F cooler).
World Climates covers 22 places in Thailand. By annual mean temperature, Chiang Mai is the 22nd warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 17th wettest. See all of them on the Thailand climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall (with seasons shifted for the other hemisphere). The closest matches are Vientiane (Laos, Aw), Itumbiara (Brazil, Aw) and Rondonópolis (Brazil, Aw).
Nearby places
- Climate in Lampang 77 km · 27 °C80 °F · 1,189 mm47 in
- Climate in Taungoo 269 km · 28 °C83 °F · 795 mm31 in
- Climate in Thaton 269 km · 27 °C80 °F · 1,867 mm74 in
- Climate in Mawlamyine 293 km · 27 °C81 °F · 2,215 mm87 in
- Climate in Yawnghwe 299 km · 23 °C74 °F · 670 mm26 in
- Climate in Taunggyi 301 km · 20 °C68 °F · 437 mm17 in
- Climate in Bago 310 km · 28 °C83 °F · 1,010 mm40 in
- Climate in Nay Pyi Taw 318 km · 28 °C83 °F · 737 mm29 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Chiang Mai?
April is the warmest month in Chiang Mai. Its average high is 37 °C (98 °F) and its average low is 23 °C (74 °F).
What is the coldest month in Chiang Mai?
December is the coldest month. Its average high is 27 °C (81 °F) and its average low is 16 °C (62 °F).
When does it rain the most in Chiang Mai?
August is the wettest month with about 237 mm (9.3 in) of precipitation. February is the driest with about 5 mm (0.2 in).
What is the best time to visit Chiang Mai?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are November–January.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 759 m, while Chiang Mai lies at about 313 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +2.9 °C5.2 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.