Winter
Dec → Feb0 to 3°
nights -9 to -6°
- 1 rainy days · 5 mm
- 8.4 h of sun
When is the best time to visit China?
In short: April to May and September to October, when the Great Wall at Mutianyu sees 15 to 24 °C in the afternoon and little rain. May and the second half of September are the best compromise, avoiding the National Day holiday week, which starts around 1 October and packs trains and sites.
- The Great Wall and Beijing: From April to May and from September to October: 15 to 24 °C in the afternoon at Mutianyu, far from the -9 °C of January nights.
- Golden autumn: In October, the wooded hills around the Wall turn golden, and the high season at Mutianyu runs until mid-November.
- Beijing in winter: From December to February, the north is dry and icy (0 °C in the afternoon at Mutianyu) but bright, with 1 to 2 rainy days a month.
- The south and Hong Kong: Better in autumn or winter: July to September is the period most exposed to typhoons, and summer there often goes above 31 °C.
- Chinese New Year: In January or February depending on the lunar calendar: a week of public holidays and family celebrations, but also of mass travel across the whole country.
Best avoided: July and August, when the north gets most of its rain (246 mm and 17 rainy days in July at Mutianyu) and typhoons threaten the south coast, as well as the National Day week in early October, one of the busiest of the year.
Sources: en.mutianyugreatwall.com, hko.gov.hk, diplomatie.gouv.fr
- Jan0°not recommended
- Feb3°not recommended
- Mar11°fair
- Apr18°recommended
- May24°recommended
- Jun28°fair
- Jul28°not recommended
- Aug27°not recommended
- Sep23°recommended
- Oct15°recommended
- Nov7°fair
- Dec0°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in China, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0° | -9° | 8.3 h | 2 mm | 1 d | |
| February | 3° | -6° | 8.9 h | 9 mm | 2 d | |
| March | 11° | 0° | 9.8 h | 13 mm | 3 d | |
| April | 18° | 6° | 9.9 h | 26 mm | 4 d | ✓ |
| May | 24° | 13° | 10.3 h | 35 mm | 6 d | ✓ |
| June | 28° | 18° | 10.4 h | 75 mm | 9 d | |
| July | 28° | 21° | 8.7 h | 246 mm | 17 d | |
| August | 27° | 20° | 9.3 h | 168 mm | 15 d | |
| September | 23° | 15° | 9.2 h | 69 mm | 7 d | ✓ |
| October | 15° | 7° | 8 h | 36 mm | 5 d | ✓ |
| November | 7° | -1° | 7.6 h | 24 mm | 3 d | |
| December | 0° | -7° | 7.9 h | 4 mm | 1 d |
The four seasons in China, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Great Wall (Mutianyu)) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May11 to 24°
nights 0 to 13°
- 4 rainy days · 25 mm
- 10 h of sun
Summer
Jun → Aug27 to 28°
nights 18 to 21°
- 14 rainy days · 163 mm
- 9.5 h of sun
Autumn
Sep → Nov7 to 23°
nights -1 to 15°
- 5 rainy days · 43 mm
- 8.3 h of sun
Book early for April to May and September to October
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in China, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 15h03 of daylight, in December 9h18, a difference of 5h45.
9h35Jan
10h36Feb
11h50Mar
13h14Apr
14h24May
15h03Jun
14h47Jul
13h46Aug
12h24Sep
11h03Oct
9h52Nov
9h18Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Great Wall (Mutianyu)" (40.43°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in China, month by month
EventsChinese New YearJanuary to FebruaryHarbin Ice FestivalDecember to FebruaryMid-Autumn FestivalSeptember to OctoberGolden WeekOctoberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Hiking: April, May, June, September, October
- Towns & culture: March, April, May, June, September, October
- Long days: May, June, July
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in China, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- January to FebruaryChinese New Year big crowds
Between late January and February, the Lunar New Year empties the cities and fills the trains; shops and factories close for a week.
- December to FebruaryHarbin Ice Festival
Harbin builds an entire district of ice palaces lit from within, open from late December to February.
- September to OctoberMid-Autumn Festival
On the full moon of September or October, families share mooncakes and the parks stay lit until late.
- OctoberGolden Week big crowds
The first week of October sends the whole country on holiday: sites overcrowded, trains full and prices up everywhere.
Travelling off-peak
When to visit China, region by region
A country's best time is an average, and it hides big differences. Here is what the records say for each area, month by month: ✓ for a recommended month, ~ for a fair one, a dot for a month to avoid. Hover over a cell for the temperature.
| Area | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 Shanghai | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
| 🇨🇳 Yunnan | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
| 🇨🇳 Guilin and Yangshuo | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · |
| 🇨🇳 Beijing | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · |
| 🇨🇳 Xi'an | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · |
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended0°-9° at night
- 2 mm · 1 d
- 8.3 h
Busy, without the crush
February
Not recommended3°-6° at night
- 9 mm · 2 d
- 8.9 h
Busy, without the crush
March
Fair11°0° at night
- 13 mm · 3 d
- 9.8 h
Low season, lower prices
April
Recommended18°6° at night
- 26 mm · 4 d
- 9.9 h
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended24°13° at night
- 35 mm · 6 d
- 10.3 h
Busy, without the crush
June
Fair28°18° at night
- 75 mm · 9 d
- 10.4 h
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended28°21° at night
- 246 mm · 17 d
- 8.7 h
Low season, lower prices
August
Not recommended27°20° at night
- 168 mm · 15 d
- 9.3 h
Low season, lower prices
September
Recommended23°15° at night
- 69 mm · 7 d
- 9.2 h
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended15°7° at night
- 36 mm · 5 d
- 8 h
High season, book early
November
Fair7°-1° at night
- 24 mm · 3 d
- 7.6 h
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended0°-7° at night
- 4 mm · 1 d
- 7.9 h
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 0 °C at the warmest of the day, -9 °C at night. Hardly any rain (2 mm over 1 day). Expect 8.3 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
February. Deep winter: 3 °C at the warmest of the day, -6 °C at night. Hardly any rain (9 mm over 2 days). Expect 8.9 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
March. Cool: 11 °C at best, 0 °C at night. Hardly any rain (13 mm over 3 days). Plenty of sunshine: 9.8 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 6 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 26 mm over 4 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.9 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
May. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 35 mm over 6 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.3 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
June. 28 °C in the afternoon and 18 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (75 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.4 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. 28 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. A very wet month, 246 mm of rain over 17 days. Expect 8.7 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. 27 °C in the afternoon and 20 °C at night. A very wet month, 168 mm of rain over 15 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.3 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
September. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 15 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 69 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.2 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Cool: 15 °C at best, 7 °C at night. Rain stays light: 36 mm over 5 days. Expect 8 h of sunshine a day. High season: book early.
November. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, -1 °C at night. Hardly any rain (24 mm over 3 days). Expect 7.6 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Deep winter: 0 °C at the warmest of the day, -7 °C at night. Hardly any rain (4 mm over 1 day). Expect 7.9 h of sunshine a day. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit China?
April to May and September to October, when the Great Wall at Mutianyu sees 15 to 24 °C in the afternoon and little rain. May and the second half of September are the best compromise, avoiding the National Day holiday week, which starts around 1 October and packs trains and sites.
Which month should you avoid in China?
July and August, when the north gets most of its rain (246 mm and 17 rainy days in July at Mutianyu) and typhoons threaten the south coast, as well as the National Day week in early October, one of the busiest of the year.
What is the hottest month in China?
June, with 28 °C on average in the afternoon and 18 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Great Wall (Mutianyu)).
What is the coldest month in China?
January, with 0 °C at best during the day and -9 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Great Wall (Mutianyu)).
What is the driest month in China?
January: 2 mm over 1 day of rain, against 246 mm in July, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in China?
June, with 10.4 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
Does it get cold at night in China?
The gap between day and night reaches 12 °C in April: 18 °C in the afternoon, 6 °C at dawn. Pack an extra layer, even in high season.
When is the best time to hike in China?
April, May, June, September, October: highs between 12 and 29 °C and no more than 9 days of rain a month according to 2015-2024 records (Great Wall (Mutianyu)), the safest windows for walking.
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