How to Pack for Any Weather: A Climate-Data Packing Guide

Packing well comes down to two questions: what is the weather usually like at your destination in that month, and what is it actually doing in the days before you leave? The first comes from climate averages, the second from a forecast. This guide shows how to turn the monthly numbers in our city guides into a packing list, with a kit table by temperature, a look at wet and dry seasons in the tropics and a worked example for a two-city trip that spans winter and the tropics.

Step 1: read the climate numbers for your month

Each hoyoopin city guide has a monthly climate table built from 1991–2020 normals, with the weather station named under it. Each row tells you something different about what to bring:

• Average high: sets your daytime clothes.
• Average low: sets your evening and early-morning layer. In a desert or a continental city the gap can be 10°C or more.
• Precipitation (mm): about 100 mm or more in a month means rain on many days, so pack a proper waterproof. Under about 30 mm, a compact umbrella is usually enough.
• Rainy days, where the station records them: the number of days with at least 1 mm. It tells you whether the month's rain comes as a few downpours or as a damp week after week.
• Sunshine hours, where available: a rough guide to how often you will need sunglasses and a hat.

Averages hide the extremes, so pack for a few degrees either side. Humidity is not in the tables, so for tropical cities assume it is high and pack quick-dry fabrics.

Step 2: match the temperature to a kit

Use the average daytime high to choose a kit, then check the low for evenings. The examples show each city's average high and low for that month.

London and Montreal both count as "winter destinations", but they need very different bags. A London January calls for a good coat and a waterproof. A Montreal January, with an average high of −5°C and lows of −13°C, calls for full cold-weather gear.

How the kit changes through the year

The same rules give a month-by-month picture for any city. Use these kits: Cold if the average low is 0°C or below; Hot if the high is 28°C or more; Cool if the high is under 15°C; otherwise Mild. A month with 100 mm of rain or more adds a rain shell.

A few patterns stand out:

• Seoul uses several different kits in one year. January is Cold, with an average high of 2°C and a low of −6°C. April and October are Mild. July is Hot and very wet, with 414 mm of rain on average.
• Dubai is in the hot kit from March to November, with average highs of 29–42°C. A January evening, with an average low of 15°C, still needs a jumper.
• Singapore is warm and wet every month. Even its driest month, February, averages 105 mm of rain.

The tropics are wet in season, not all year

"Afternoon showers are routine" is true in some places and some months only. Mumbai has almost no rain from November to May, then gets nearly all of its year's rain from June to September; July alone averages 920 mm. Bangkok's wet season runs from May to October. Lagos has its main wet season from April to July and a second peak in September and October, with little rain in December (23 mm) and January (24 mm).

So for Mumbai in February you can leave the waterproof at home; in July you want a rain jacket, quick-dry clothes, sandals that cope with flooded streets and dry bags for electronics. Check the climate table in the Mumbai, Bangkok or Singapore guide for your exact month. Our monsoon guide covers the wet seasons in more detail.

Worked example: Seoul and Bangkok in January

Ten days in January, five in Seoul and five in Bangkok, one carry-on bag. The averages from the two city guides:

1. Spread. Compare Seoul's January low with Bangkok's January high in the table. No single outfit covers that gap, so layers do the work.
2. Wind. On a freezing night, wind makes it worse: at −5°C, a 20 km/h wind gives a wind chill of about −12°C on exposed skin (North American formula). Pack a hat, gloves and a scarf even though January is a dry month there.
3. Rain. Both cities are in their dry season in January. One compact umbrella covers both; skip the heavy waterproof.
4. The bag. Wear the bulkiest items (insulated jacket, boots) on the flight. Pack a thermal base layer, a fleece, two pairs of trousers, four T-shirts, light shorts or a skirt, sandals, a sun hat and SPF 30+. The fleece then does a second job in Bangkok's air-conditioned malls and trains.

Repeat the trip in July and the bag changes completely. Seoul's July is hot and wet, with 414 mm of rain. Bangkok's July brings 190 mm. Both cities then need the hot-weather kit plus a rain jacket and quick-dry clothes.

Step 3: check the forecast in the last few days

Climate averages tell you what to pack; the forecast tells you what to put on top of the bag. hoyoopin's Weather page shows live conditions for any city (temperature, feels like, humidity, wind and today's chance of rain) and a three-day forecast of highs and lows. For a multi-city trip, pin each stop in My pins to see their weather and local time side by side. For anything beyond three days, or for weather warnings, use the national weather service for your destination. If you're not sure how to read a "60% chance of rain", our guide on how to read a weather forecast explains it.

Sun and cold: the two things not to skimp on

• Sunscreen. The NHS and the American Academy of Dermatology both recommend at least SPF 30 with broad-spectrum (UVA) protection; the NHS also says at least 4-star UVA. Reapply about every two hours and after swimming or sweating. SPF 50 is fine but not required.
• Cover up. A hat, sunglasses and a light long-sleeved shirt keep UV and direct sun off your skin. The UV index can be high on cool, clear days, so check it rather than the temperature.
• Hands, feet and face in the cold. In the cold the body cuts blood flow to the extremities to protect its core, so fingers and toes get cold first. The CDC lists the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers and toes as the parts frostbite most often affects. Keep them covered and dry: gloves or mittens, a hat over the ears, and water-resistant boots.
• Heat. For desert cities in summer, carry water and avoid hard exercise around midday. Our extreme heat guide explains the warning signs of heat illness.

Quick checklist

1. Open the city guide for each stop and note the high, low and precipitation for your month.
2. Pick a kit from the average high; add an evening layer if the low is 10°C or more below it.
3. Pack a rain shell for any month with about 100 mm of rain or more.
4. Bring one light warm layer to every destination.
5. SPF 30+ broad-spectrum sunscreen, reapplied every two hours outdoors.
6. Three days out, check the three-day forecast and adjust.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know what clothes to pack for a destination?

Look up the average high, low and rainfall for your travel month. The high sets your daytime clothes, the low sets your evening layer, and about 100 mm of rain or more in a month means you should pack a proper waterproof. Then check a short-range forecast a few days before you leave.

Is it always rainy in tropical cities?

No. Mumbai gets nearly all of its rain from June to September and almost none from November to May, and Bangkok's wet season runs from May to October. Singapore is the exception, with plenty of rain in every month.

What SPF should I pack?

The NHS and the American Academy of Dermatology recommend at least SPF 30 with broad-spectrum (UVA) protection, reapplied about every two hours and after swimming or sweating. SPF 50 is fine but not required.

How far ahead does hoyoopin's forecast go?

Three days: today plus the next two, with highs and lows, alongside the current conditions and today's chance of rain. For longer ranges or warnings, use the national weather service for your destination.

Sources

1. Sunscreen FAQs — American Academy of Dermatology
2. Staying safe in the sun — Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
3. Preventing frostbite — US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
4. Wind chill index — National Weather Service, Atlanta office