ASIA HUMIDITY & WEATHER OUTLOOK · SUMMER 2026

Updated surface humidity and summer weather factors — June–September 2026 · neutral ENSO shifting toward El Niño, new southwest monsoon, active East Asian Trough periods, northward ITCZ, MJO pulses, tropical thermal waves and Indian Ocean / Southeast Asia heating.
Summer humidity regime · colour coded g/kg
N ASIA CHN/EAT SEA IND MON JPN MID CAS
hot/dry breaks: 7–10
continental variable: 9–12
northern moistening: 8–13
monsoon belt: 14–17
equatorial / SEA: 18–22

hover regions to highlight

summer drivers

Southeast Asia / Indian Ocean heating 18–22 g/kg
Southwest monsoon belt 14–18 g/kg
ITCZ moving northward active rain bands
Equatorial MJO / thermal waves burst rainfall
EAT trough periods China/Japan storms
Retreating polar vortex N Asia thaw
ASIA summer pattern humid south mixed northern troughs, hot continental breaks, monsoon moisture surges

monthly humidity progression

Asia‑wide summer specific humidity (g/kg)

regional summer humidity

typical seasonal g/kg by region

coastal vs inland summer

coastal/equatorial moisture remains dominant

Location / region Summer 2026 humidity regime Main weather factor Temperature / heat signal Rainfall / convection signal Wind / trough influence
Bangkok / Central Thailand18–21 g/kgSouthwest monsoon + Gulf moistureHot, oppressive heat index during sunny breaksAfternoon storms; stronger during MJO or ITCZ pulsesSW/W winds, sea-breeze convergence
Ho Chi Minh / Mekong19–22 g/kgEquatorial heating and monsoon inflowVery humid tropical heatFrequent deep convection and heavy storm burstsMonsoon westerlies, occasional tropical waves
Jakarta / Indonesia20–23 g/kgWarm Maritime Continent + MJO modulationPersistently warm, high overnight humidityWet bursts during active MJO; breaks when suppressedLight/variable to westerly surges
Mumbai / West India17–20 g/kgSouthwest monsoon onset and Arabian Sea moistureHeat eases once monsoon cloud/rain arrivesHeavy coastal rainfall, but El Niño risk favours breaksStrong W/SW monsoon winds
Chennai / South India15–18 g/kgBay of Bengal moisture, thermal troughsHot and humid, sea-breeze stormsPatchy convection; enhanced by tropical wavesSE/SW coastal circulations
New Delhi / North India10–14 g/kgMonsoon advance vs hot continental breaksSevere heat before rainfall, humid heat after onsetDelayed or uneven rains possible in El Niño transitionMonsoon trough pulses, dust/outflow gusts
Shanghai / East China15–18 g/kgMeiyu front + EAT interactionHumid, cloudy, warmHeavy frontal rain and mesoscale convective systemsEAT trough dips and subtropical ridge edge
Beijing / North China10–13 g/kgEAT swings and continental heat lowsHot spells alternating with cooler trough passagesThunderstorms when trough energy meets humidityN/NW trough surges, southerly moisture return
Seoul / Korea13–16 g/kgChangma front, EAT and subtropical ridgeHumid heatwaves between frontal episodesProlonged rain periods and storm clustersFrontal winds, occasional northerly surges
Tokyo / Japan14–17 g/kgBaiu front + Pacific moistureHumid, warm, muggy nightsRainy-season pulses; later typhoon moisture riskEAT/Pacific ridge steering
Novosibirsk / Siberia8–12 g/kgRetreating polar vortex and thawing boundary layerWarmer days, longer heat windowsConvective showers where troughs cut southWesterly troughs, polar-air retreat
Tashkent / Central Asia7–10 g/kgContinental drying and heat-low influenceHot, dry heat with brief storm riskMostly dry; mountain convection on trough daysDry westerlies, occasional upper troughs
Tehran / Iran6–9 g/kgSubtropical subsidence and dry heatHot, dry, dusty spellsLow rainfall except mountain thunderstormsDry NW/W winds, thermal lows
Riyadh / Arabia5–8 g/kgDesert heat and subsidenceExtreme dry heatVery limited convection away from highlands/coastsShamal/dust episodes possible
Summer weather factor Primary Asia impact Humidity effect Regions most affected
Retreating polar vortexReduces deep cold-air hold over northern Asia while leaving periodic trough intrusionsAllows higher boundary-layer moisture over Siberia and northern China during warm episodesSiberia, Mongolia, North China, Korea
Neutral to El Niño transitionRaises risk of uneven monsoon rainfall and hotter breaks later in summerMoisture stays high in tropical south, but rainfall efficiency can become patchyIndia, Southeast Asia, Maritime Continent
Southwest monsoon beginningMoves Arabian Sea / Bay of Bengal moisture inlandStrong increase in coastal and monsoon-belt g/kg valuesIndia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina
East Asian Trough activityTriggers frontal waves, storm clusters and cooler trough passagesFocuses humidity into rain belts along frontal boundariesChina, Korea, Japan, Russian Far East
Northward ITCZ migrationShifts convective rainfall bands north through the tropics and subtropicsRaises humidity and afternoon storm potential across the monsoon tropicsBay of Bengal, Indochina, South China, Philippines
Thermal waves / heat lowsProduce hot surges and unstable afternoonsCan either cap storms inland or trigger violent storms where moisture is presentIndia, China interior, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam
MJO activity near Asian equatorCreates 1–3 week wet/dry pulses across the Maritime Continent and Indian OceanActive MJO phases increase deep convection and moisture convergenceIndonesia, Malaysia, equatorial Indian Ocean, southern Thailand
SE Asia / Indian Ocean heatingStrengthens tropical moisture reservoir feeding monsoon surgesMaintains very high dewpoints and high specific humidity across maritime AsiaIndian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, South China Sea, Maritime Continent
Data guide: updated qualitative summer 2026 outlook using current ENSO, monsoon, MJO and regional seasonal signals
updated June 2026 · visualisation for Asia summer humidity and weather factors

summer 2026 replacement complete humidity and weather factors updated monsoon / EAT / ITCZ / MJO integrated