China weather

A China weather article may not sound like the most riveting pre-trip reading, but if you’ve ever arrived in a new destination and been totally underprepared because it’s too hot, cold, wet or dry, you’ll understand just how quickly travel plans can be derailed. What starts out as fun quickly turns to a much less enjoyable experience - all because you didn’t check the weather.

Like so many aspects of China, weather is not straightforward. How can it be? In a country that covers a massive expanse in all directions, there are bound to be variances in China weather - sometimes really big ones - on any given day. That’s why it pays to do your research well in advance, not only of your arrival, but planning and booking your trip too.

Without drowning you in too much detail, like the rising floodwaters of a tropical summer typhoon, we’ve endeavoured to capture the all important information for adventurers making their way to China, regardless of when and where they travel.

China’s coastline just on its own stretches a whopping 18,000 kilometers, so as you’d expect with such a distance, the zones within China itself present a wide range of temperatures and climates.

During winter, China is generally warm in the south and cold - in some places, bitterly cold - in the north. Temperature differences between north and south
can vary by up to 50°. The influence of the winter monsoon, which brings cold
and dry winter winds from Mongolia and Siberia impacts the northern region
of China. Visit Beijing during the coldest months of the year and you will
definitely be pulling out your thermal gear, gloves, and beanie.

By contrast, in summer, which runs from June to August, you will find temper-
atures that reach the other extreme. With the exception of the high lying
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Tianshan Mountains, the average temperature in
most areas sits above 20°C. In fact, you will find that in many places in the
south, the average is above 28°C.

Now if you’re thinking that sounds quite manageable and you think Turpan
in high summer sounds ideal, you may just want to reconsider your travel

plans. Freezing cold in winter, temperatures in Turpan swing in the opposite direction during summer, hitting an average high of 40°C (104°F).

Remember too there is a wet season in China weather and the timing of it varies from north to south. In the south, with its more tropical and subtropical weather zone, the wet season starts early and ends late. The wettest months are between May and October.

The wet season in the north is shorter and concentrated in July and August (summer). Monsoons are a common feature of China’s weather, both in warm and cold months. Fortunately, this is most advantageous for agriculture, as it allows for diversity in crop cultivation and animal production.

But it’s not all good news. Floods, along with other natural disasters such as drought, earthquakes, and cold waves occur regularly each year, and in some cases, with catastrophic effects.

Although we’ve only provided a brief overview of China weather here, at the very least, you have the basics, and can start to plan the timing of your trip accordingly.

The takeaways on China weather for foreign visitors?

Beijing

China’s capital, Beijing is located in a warm temperate zone, which means its weather is affected significantly by monsoons. It is reliably cold and dry in winter (even snowing into spring sometimes), with the average January temperature coming in at a chilly -3.5°C. While walking around outside and taking in the highlights like the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Tiananmen Square might leave you bracing icy cold winds, you will find central heating is widespread in most buildings. Beijing’s reputation for cold winters is matched only by its hot, humid summers when the average temperature in July is 26.5°C. Spring and autumn are comparatively short in Beijing, and locals recommend the months to enjoy this city at its best are in May, June, September, and October.

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Xi’an

Unlike its more serious counterpart Beijing, the city of lanterns, Xi'an weather enjoys fewer extremes and four distinct seasons. If you like moderation in all things, you’ll find Xi'an will meet your needs with its mild climate and moderate rainfall. Spring is warm, dry and windy; autumn is cool, and winter is cold and foggy (expect snow). The best time to visit Xi'an? Pack your bags to travel from April to June, and September to November.

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Shanghai

Trying to decide the best time to visit the oriental pearl, Shanghai? You can relax, knowing that without the extremes of other destinations in China, Shanghai provides plenty of options. With its subtropical monsoonal climate, you’ll discover a fairly even distribution of temperatures, regardless of when you visit. During summer, daily average temperatures are around 28.5°C. High-density city living and the volume of highrises limit the flow-through of cooler air during warmer months. If you melt in humidity, stay away in high summer! Although Shanghai’s winter is certainly milder than Beijing’s, a bitter northerly wind can be felt during the middle of the cold season. From a tourist’s perspective, Spring, which runs from March to May is the best time to visit Shanghai. Keep in mind though, if you plan to explore Shanghai from mid-June to early July, pack your umbrella and raincoat, because it’s the wettest time of the year. Incredibly, during this short period of just 20 days, Shanghai receives about a quarter of its annual rainfall. Think you’d prefer to catch the tail end of summer from the end of August to mid-September? You’ll need more than wet weather gear. This time of year is characterized by frequent typhoons, often with pouring rain and strong winds.

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Chengdu

The Sichuan Basin where Chengdu is located means this city is characteristically humid. Ironically, Chengdu is also home to the famous hot pot, so named because it is extremely hot and spicy. In contrast to Chengdu city’s humidity, the hills and plains which create the Sichuan Basin (the highest mountains are over 1,300 meters), means the weather at height is much cooler. Warmer weather is found in the west and cooler temperatures in the east. The simultaneous differences in temperature are reflected elsewhere in the surrounding mountains too, where the peaks are 2-3 °C cooler. In Chengdu, winter is short (it rarely snows) and the average daily temperature for most of the year is a very pleasant 16.4°C. Not only is this perfect for the most famous local residents, the giant pandas; it is ideal for foreign visitors too.

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Guangzhou

Guangzhou enjoys a subtropical climate, making it relatively hot and humid in summer and pleasantly mild in winter. Summer-like weather extends well beyond the three months from June to August. From May to October, temperatures in this bustling international hub often exceed the daily average of 30°C (86°F), so if you’re prone to wilting at the first sign of humidity, aim to visit Guangzhou in late autumn or through winter when temperatures are much more manageable, ranging between 10°C (50°F) and 21°C (70°F). Guangzhou’s location on the Tropic of Cancer means there is a rainy season. If you plan to travel any time between July and September, expect to use your wet weather gear as this is the time that rainfall peaks. While this climate has its drawbacks for those who aren’t fans of the heat, there is one major benefit. Guangzhou earned its nickname ‘Huacheng’ or flower city for the year-round proliferation of beautiful blooms.

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Dunhuang

Located at the far west end of the Hexi Corridor, Dunhuang is an important thoroughfare on the ancient Silk Road. With Sanwei Mountain in the east, Mingsha Mountain in the south, desert to the west, and the Taklimakan, and Gobi to the north, Dunhuang is connected to the Tianshan Mountains. The unique mix of elevation, together with the desert oasis environment provides the setting for extreme temperature variation. On any given day while exploring on a Dunhuang tour, you can find yourself scorched by daytime highs of 40°C and freezing at night in sub-zero lows. If you’re ‘unlucky’ enough to find yourself in Dunhuang on a day that it rains, you needn’t be concerned. There is an average of just 21 rainy days each year during which very little rain falls (a mere 42 millimeters!). The good thing is, this hot, dry climate is perfect for preservation - and it’s the very reason the world-famous Mogao Caves, displaying arguably the finest collection of Buddhist art, have survived in such pristine condition for over a thousand years. The caves alone, which are rich in history, scholarship, and art are worth the visit, so be sure to time your arrival so it coincides with a time of year when the heat is most manageable, namely from May to October.

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Guilin

A place of quintessentially Chinese natural beauty, Guilin is synonymous with the osmanthus flowers (Guihua) and karst stone mountains that are found in proximity to the city and along the Li River to Yangshuo. Guilin also has a reputation for its favorable climate, which was praised by the poet Du Fu from the Tang Dynasty who claimed "All the five ridges are hot, but only Guilin is pleasant". It snows infrequently in Guilin and the weather is ideal for all year round blooming of flowers. With an average low of 9℃ and an average high of 28℃, it’s easy to understand why Guilin held such appeal historically and still does today. Due to its more temperate climate, humidity is a factor in Guilin, however, it is definitely a city that can be visited all year round. Just remember to bring an umbrella if you’re planning to travel in spring because this is when most rain falls.

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Lhasa

Lhasa is a destination that is aptly named ‘Sunshine City’. The small temperature variations throughout the year, but frequently large changes in daily temperatures, makes Lhasa unique among the list of best places to visit in China. Located in the middle of the Tibet Plateau on the north side of the Himalayas at an altitude of 3,650 meters Lhasa sits in the plain of the middle valley of the Lhasa River. As you’d expect with a place that seems to almost touch the clouds, it can get very cold. Expect sub-zero temperatures. In fact, locals say that Lhasa enjoys ‘four seasons in a day and a cold winter throughout the year’. This is the ever-practical Tibetans dress as they do. The traditional robe allows the wearer to remove it from one shoulder during the day to stay cool, and then reposition as the sun goes down to stay warm.

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Hong Kong

Many travelers take advantage of Hong Kong’s convenience as a travel thoroughfare and why not? Certainly, Hong Kong’s climate lends itself to a visit on route to China. With a mild average annual temperature of 22.8°C that belies the heat and humidity of Hong Kong’s summer, you may want to time your transit through Hong Kong to avoid the warmer months between May to September. During this peak period, there are significant rainfalls and typhoons, both of which can detract from your holiday experience, so best to time your holiday in Hong Kong with the arrival of autumn from September to November. It’s when you’ll find there is plenty of sunshine balanced by balmy breezes that come in from the Pacific Ocean.

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Want to know more about the weather in China? Work through the pages of our Travel Guide and find everything you need to know about visiting China. Discover helpful information on related topics, including China visas, things to do in China, food, culture, and more. As a China travel agent that’s been operating well over a year - and survived the impact of COVID-19, we’re more committed than ever to helping our customers discover and experience real China. We understand that your once-in-a-lifetime trip to China starts well before departure, that’s why we provide useful information about important details on topics like the weather in China to help make your China vacation as enjoyable as possible.

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Younga P wrote a review 15 July 2024

Fabulous 3 city tour (Hong Kong/Xi’an/Beijing) planned and executed by China Tours!

My family and I loved our recent private tour with China Tours! We started by working with Lora to plan our itinerary first. We let her know which cities we wanted to visit and what we wanted to see in each city. She was so responsive to my many questions and requests from providing information necessary to get our visas to making recommendations of when we should see the Terra Cotta soldiers based on our travel schedule to letting me know we were able to get entry tickets to see the Forbidden City. I felt very comfortable in a country where I didn't speak the language because Lora was always available to provide assistance. When we arrived in each location, the guides and drivers were fantastic. I was able to connect with each guide prior to reaching the destination and they were always waiting for us. The guides, Chas in Hong Kong, Helen in Xi'an and William in Beijing were fabulous!!! They were all so accommodating and helpful. They knew their cities well and made great food recommendations! Since we were on a private tour, they were very willing to make adjustments based on what we wanted to do or see when prior reservations were not required. My husband, daughter and I are very grateful to Lora, Chas, Helen and William for providing us with such a wonderful experience in China! Thank you!

Date of experience: July 2024 • Family
Mara wrote a review 7 July 2024

Great Experience with China Tours!

We had a great experience with China Tours. We traveled to the cities Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin and Shanghai. The organization was impeccable, the guides and drivers very professional. We would recommend the agency to others!

Date of experience: June 2024 • Friends
Cruiser61335187814 wrote a review 6 July 2024

Great experience

We had a great time in Beijing and surroundings. Guide Maggie was very knowledgeable and speaks English really well. She was flexible and proactive as we had some last minute requests and some sites were crowded and she did a good job navigating that. During our preparations, office person Martha responded fast and accurately. We stayed at the Novotel which we liked as it has a good location for an evening stroll and mall.

Date of experience: July 2024 • Family
hilaryt714 wrote a review 2 July 2024

Book without a second thought

Our trip was delayed from 2020 with no problems. Martha responded to changes in our itinerary brilliantly.
There were two of us on our small group tour and the service was exceptional. Hotels were of a high standard and we were happy with them. All guides were enthusiastic and helpful, we only had to ask.
In the end we took high speed trains within China which we enjoyed as we got to see more of the country.
Highly recommend this tour group

Date of experience: May 2024 • Couples
WingF wrote a review 23 June 2024

Perfect China Trip

The small group tour of Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai organised by China Tours was a great way to see these 3 fantastic cities of China. Each of the local guides Nancy (Beijing), Elysha (Xi’an) and Lucy (Shanghai) were very friendly, knowledgeable and interesting and had a passion for their jobs. They were all super helpful answering any questions and offering advice and tips for navigating each city in our own free time, including recommendations for places to eat and other attractions to see not covered by the tour. All the main attractions and sites were visited with plenty of time spent at each. The main highlights for me were the Forbidden City and Great Wall (Nancy took us to a great part of the wall that was not overcrowded) in Beijing and the Terracotta Army in Xi’an (including meeting the farmer who made the discovery in the 1970’s). It was not a rushed tour and was also flexible. In Xi’an because of the weather the itinerary order was changed to suit the group. Being a small escorted tour meant that you were not just one of many in the usual large group tours which made it more personal and enjoyable. A special mention for Nancy and Elysha who made suggestions, with no hidden agenda, in Beijing and Xi’an respectively to see live shows as add-ons which turned out to be unexpected delights. Martha of China Tours was very easy to deal with and was patient with all my requests and queries when booking the tour. Overall I can highly recommend China Tours if you plan to visit China and wish to arrange a tour. From start to finish everyone was extremely helpful and communicated in very good English.

Date of experience: June 2024 • Solo
TravelerToo wrote a review 20 June 2024

Fantastic Tour Itinerary, Guide, and Hotels

I can’t imagine a better way to see and experience Taiwan than this 9-day tour. Starting in Taipei and driving counterclockwise we went from the top to the farthest southern tip of the country and back. Hotels were much nicer than expected as were all of the locals we met along the way. As most travelers know, a few words in the local language are much appreciated so set your Google translate app to Traditional Chinese and say hello! Our tour leader Cathy was funny, smiley, organized, and felt like my 2nd mother as she constantly made sure I was all right and happy. The trip itinerary was varied and extensive (maybe a few too many temples but that’s my problem). Perhaps the most impressive was the coordination between our tour leader and the travel company when an issue arose as when an indigenous cultural site unexpectedly closed. Cathy arranged for us to attend a special performance of another group which turned out to be one of the many highlights of the tour.
This tour was excellent, a great introduction to an interesting country, a great value for the price. I highly recommend it. Oh, and try to get Cathy Lin as your guide; you won’t regret it.

Date of experience: June 2024 • Solo

China weather