Lahore features a five-season semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh), closely bordering a humid subtropical climate, with five seasons: foggy winter (10 Dec – 1 Feb) with few western disturbances causing rain; pleasant spring (16 Feb – 15 April); summer (15 April – 30 June) with dust, rain storms and heat wave periods; rainy monsoon (1 July – 16 September); and dry autumn (16 September –14 November). However, in some cases, it can be classified as being humid subtropical (Cwa), rather than semi-arid, since it has well defined seasons and an ample amount of rain. It occasionally has very prolonged and dense monsoons, typical of a humid subtropical climate.
The hottest month is June, where average highs routinely exceed 40 °C (104.0 °F). The wettest month is July, with heavy rainfalls and evening thunderstorms with the possibility of cloudbursts. The coolest month is January with dense fog.
The city's record high temperature was 50.4 °C (122.7 °F), recorded on 5 June 2003.[2] On 10 June 2007, a temperature of 48 °C (118 °F) was recorded;[3][4] The lowest temperature recorded in Lahore is –2.2 °C, recorded on 17 January 1935.[5][6]
| Climate data for Lahore (1961–1990), extremes (1931–2018) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 27.8 (82.0) |
33.3 (91.9) |
37.8 (100.0) |
46.1 (115.0) |
48.3 (118.9) |
50.3 (122.5) |
46.1 (115.0) |
42.8 (109.0) |
41.7 (107.1) |
40.6 (105.1) |
35.0 (95.0) |
30.0 (86.0) |
50.3 (122.5) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 19.8 (67.6) |
22.0 (71.6) |
27.1 (80.8) |
33.9 (93.0) |
38.6 (101.5) |
40.4 (104.7) |
36.1 (97.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
32.9 (91.2) |
27.4 (81.3) |
21.6 (70.9) |
30.8 (87.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.8 (55.0) |
15.4 (59.7) |
20.5 (68.9) |
26.8 (80.2) |
31.2 (88.2) |
33.9 (93.0) |
31.5 (88.7) |
30.7 (87.3) |
29.7 (85.5) |
25.6 (78.1) |
19.5 (67.1) |
14.2 (57.6) |
24.3 (75.8) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 5.9 (42.6) |
8.9 (48.0) |
14.0 (57.2) |
19.6 (67.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
27.4 (81.3) |
26.9 (80.4) |
26.4 (79.5) |
24.4 (75.9) |
18.2 (64.8) |
11.6 (52.9) |
6.8 (44.2) |
17.8 (64.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −2.2 (28.0) |
0.0 (32.0) |
2.8 (37.0) |
10.0 (50.0) |
14.0 (57.2) |
18.0 (64.4) |
20.0 (68.0) |
19.0 (66.2) |
16.7 (62.1) |
8.3 (46.9) |
1.7 (35.1) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 34.0 (1.34) |
31.6 (1.24) |
98.2 (3.87) |
19.7 (0.78) |
22.4 (0.88) |
122.3 (4.81) |
214.1 (8.43) |
204.9 (8.07) |
61.1 (2.41) |
12.4 (0.49) |
4.2 (0.17) |
13.9 (0.55) |
838.8 (33.04) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 218.8 | 215.0 | 245.8 | 276.6 | 308.3 | 269.0 | 227.5 | 234.9 | 265.6 | 290.0 | 259.6 | 222.9 | 3,034 |
| Source 1: NOAA (1961-1990) [7] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: PMD[8] | |||||||||||||
Monsoons and western disturbances are the two main factors that affect the weather in Lahore; otherwise, continental air prevails for rest of the seasons. Following are the main factors that influence the weather of Lahore.[citation needed]
The average annual rainfall precipitation in Lahore amounts to around 758.8 millimetres (29.87 in).[9][10] Monsoon rains commence from the last week of June and persist until the end of September. In 2009, Lahore saw below-normal monsoon rainfalls due to the presence of El-Nino over Pakistan.[11] Following are monsoon rainfall precipitation data for Lahore since 2007, taken from the Pakistan Meteorological Department:[12]
Lahore mainly receives its rainfall during the monsoon season from June till September, and in winter season from December till February. The highest-ever annual rainfall in Lahore was recorded in 2011 when 1,576.8 millimetres (62.08 in) of rainfall was recorded.[5] Lahore received below normal rains in 2009, and normal rains in 2007 and 2010. The following is the Annual rainfall in Lahore since 2007 based on data from the Pakistan Meteorological Department.[12]