Punakha sits in one of Bhutan’s high Himalayan valleys, where a temperate climate brings a monsoon-influenced wet season from June through September, considerably drier than the subtropical foothills to the south.
At the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, Bhutan’s former capital has a documented history of glacial lake outburst floods, including a destructive 1994 event. Because Bhutan’s rivers are fed by both monsoon rainfall and Himalayan glacial melt, the country faces a distinctive flood risk from glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in addition to ordinary monsoon flooding, and radar remains a key tool for tracking the intense, localized storms that can trigger flash floods in these narrow mountain valleys. Learn more: Flash Flood Warning Signs on Radar · Open the full Rain Map