Delhi's Weather Is Not What You Think It Is
Students from most parts of India arrive in Delhi expecting "cold in winter and hot in summer" — which is technically accurate but fails to capture the extremes. Delhi's summer hits 44-47°C. Delhi's winter drops to 2-4°C. And the monsoon (July-September) brings 80% humidity on top of high temperatures, making the air feel thick and oppressive in a way that the numbers don't convey.
Your PG experience in each of these seasons is genuinely different. Here's what to actually prepare for.
Summer (April-June): The Heat Is a Physical Force
At 46°C, Delhi isn't just warm — it's genuinely dangerous. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are real risks for students who don't take basic precautions. The genuinely important preparations:
AC or no AC changes everything. A non-AC room at 46°C is extremely uncomfortable at night. Even with a ceiling fan running constantly, the air temperature in a top-floor room without AC is barely below the outside temperature. If you're sensitive to heat and your budget allows, AC is worth the electricity cost in summer.
Hydration isn't optional. In summer, you need to drink water proactively, not reactively. Waiting until you feel thirsty means you're already mildly dehydrated. Carry water from your room whenever you leave — a 1-litre ISI-certified water bottle is essential kit from April through September.
The 2pm-5pm window is genuinely dangerous. Try not to be outside during peak afternoon hours if you can avoid it. The combination of direct sun and reflected heat from concrete and tarmac creates a heat intensity that catches first-year students off guard.
Powdered ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) is your friend. Mix it with water during summer. It replaces salts lost through sweating in a way that plain water doesn't. Available at any medical store for ₹15-₹20 per packet.
Monsoon (July-September): The Humidity Will Surprise You
Delhi's monsoon season is short but intense. The humidity jumps to 80-95%, which means your clothes take longer to dry, your room feels damp even with the windows open, and the AC (if you have one) works harder because the moisture in the air makes it harder to cool effectively.
Keep your room dry. Damp rooms develop mold, which affects clothes, books, and respiratory health. If there's a dehumidifying agent (silica gel packets, available cheap at any stationery shop), keep them in your wardrobe and near your books.
Footwear matters more than you think. In monsoon, Delhi streets flood. Flip-flops or open sandals for getting to the bathroom and around the building in the morning — not expensive ones, just waterproof ones — save a lot of soggy sock situations.
The drain situation in your area. Some parts of Delhi flood badly during heavy rain. Rohini, parts of Mukherjee Nagar, and areas near drains or low-lying areas can become genuinely difficult to walk through. Ask your PG owner or existing residents about this before monsoon arrives.
Winter (November-February): The Cold Is Deceptive
At 4°C, Delhi's cold is damp and penetrating rather than the crisp cold of mountain regions. North Indian students from hill states are used to this; students from coastal India, South India, and warm-climate states are often unprepared.
Your PG's heating may not work the way you expect. Many PGs rely on room heaters (which are expensive to run and can be fire hazards if used carelessly), or they don't provide heating at all. A good 1.5kW room heater plus a thermostat-controlled socket adapter (₹300-₹500) lets you heat the room before sleeping without running the heater all night.
The early morning alarm problem. Waking up at 6am in a Delhi winter in a cold room, to go to an 8am class, is genuinely one of the hardest things about the first-year experience for students from warm climates. There is no perfect solution, but a timer-controlled geyser (so hot water is ready when your alarm goes) and a mattress heater (₹500-₹1,500, widely available) make this significantly more manageable.
Layering beats one thick blanket. Delhi's coldest periods (mid-December to mid-January) require warm clothes worn inside the room, not just a thick quilt on the bed. Track pants, a warm hoodie, and socks inside make the room habitable. A single heavy blanket that you pile on top of your clothes doesn't.
