Best time to visit Chiang Mai
The best time to visit Chiang Mai is from mid-November to early-March, when the region is mainly dry and not too hot.
Chiang Mai weather
Chiang Mai enjoys a hot tropical climate with a dry season from mid-October to late-April and a wet season from late-April to mid-October.
You can expect warm temperatures year-round and seasonal rainfall.
What is the best month to visit Chiang Mai?
December and January are the best months to visit Chiang Mai – since these months are the least hot and driest time of year.
Alternatively, November and February are almost equally as good.
Which is the hottest month in Chiang Mai?
The hottest month of the year in Chiang Mai is usually April, with an average high temperature of 36°C (96°F), with extreme heat and humidity and a low of 23°C (73°F).
However, on the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 39°C (102°F).
The hot season lasts from mid-March to early-May, with an average daily high above 35°C (95°F). Rainfall is low until May when the monsoon rains provide welcome relief to the soaring temperatures.
What is the humidity in Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai experiences significant seasonal variation in perceived humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at between 47% – 80% over the course of the year.
What do the humidity conditions feel like in Chiang Mai?
We derive the humidity comfort level – what conditions feel like – from the dew point temperature, which measures moisture content in the atmosphere: a higher dew point feels more humid, while a lower dew point feels drier.
Meteorologists agree that dew point temperature is a more consistant indication of 'absolute humidity' than relative humidity, which fluctuates with temperature.
The average annual dew point in Chiang Mai is 19°C (66°F), and varies over the course of the year from comfortable at 14°C (59°F) to muggy at 23°C (75°F).
The more humid time of year in Chiang Mai lasts from April through November, when you can expect the comfort level to be muggy at least 25% of the time.
The months with the most muggy days in Chiang Mai are May through October, when almost every day in each month feels muggy or worse.
January and February are more comfortable, with less than two days in each month that feel humid.
Which is the coldest month in Chiang Mai?
January is the 'coldest' month of the year in Chiang Mai, with an average high of 30°C (86°F) and a low of 15°C (59°F).
Humidity is low with almost no rain and bright sunshine averages nine hours every day.
The cooler, dry season lasts from mid-November to late-January, with an average daily high temperature below 30°C (86°F).
Which is the sunniest month in Chiang Mai?
The sunniest time of year in Chiang Mai is usually March, with 9.5 hours of sunshine per day on average; that's around 79% of daylight hours.
Which month has the most rain in Chiang Mai?
August is usually the wettest month in Chiang Mai, with 225mm (9in) of rainfall on average, distributed across 21 days.
The rainy season lasts from late-April to mid-October, with a greater than 31% chance of a given day being a wet day. The wet season averages a high of 32°C (89°F) and is characterised by plenty of sunshine interspersed by heavy downpours, which are over quickly.
The heaviest rainfall in Chiang Mai falls during the months of July through September.
Which is the windiest month in Chiang Mai?
March is the windiest month. However, the average hourly wind speed in Chiang Mai does not vary significantly over the course of the year, averaging 4 kilometres per hour (2.5 mph; 2 knots) throughout the year.
What's the best time for activities?
Rafting is best between July and October when most rivers are swollen with monsoon rain. Both biking and trekking are best in the dry season from November to early-March – but bring a sweater, as nights in northern Thailand can get pretty chilly.
Chiang Mai Weather Averages
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average high temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 30 | 33 | 35 | 36 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 29 |
| Average low temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 15 | 16 | 19 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 16 |
| Average daily sunshine (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Average daily daylight (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfort level – heat | |||||||||||
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| Comfort level – humidity (#muggy days) | |||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 17 | 5 |
| Average dew point temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 15 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 16 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | |||||||||||
| 67 | 55 | 49 | 54 | 69 | 75 | 78 | 81 | 81 | 78 | 74 | 71 |
| UV Index (max) | |||||||||||
| 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 |
| Average days of rainfall (≥1mm) | |||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 2 |
| Average monthly rainfall (mm) | |||||||||||
| 10 | 10 | 20 | 55 | 155 | 115 | 155 | 225 | 200 | 120 | 50 | 20 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | |||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Chiang Mai, Thailand | |||||||||||
Holiday seasons
High season: Peak tourist season runs from November to late March, with peaks in July and August.
Low season: Avoid the crowds and take advantage of discounted room rates during April to June, September and October.
Chiang Mai weather by month
Source: Meteorological data for Chiang Mai is based on weather statistics gathered for the 30-year period 1991 to 2020 by the Thai Meteorological Department from the closest weather station: Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX), located around 5km (3mi) south of the centre of Chiang Mai.
Advice on the best time to visit a particular destination is based on average local weather statistics, when the weather conditions are generally better than at other times of the year. We consider high and low temperatures, risk of rain (and thunderstorms, etc.), amount of sunshine and sea temperature. For general outdoor activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 18°C (64°F) and 27°C (80°F); and for hot-weather activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 24°C (75°F) and 32°C (89°F). Often, the best times to visit correspond to high season and therefore involve higher prices.
More about Chiang Mai…
Latest update: Best time to visit Chiang Mai: 17 May, 2024
Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided as is, without any assurances as to its accuracy or suitability for any purpose. Weather data and conditions at any given location and time are unpredictable and variable. We assume no responsibility and can not be held legally responsible for any decisions made on the basis of the information presented on this site.
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