Winter
Dec → Feb13 to 15°
nights -1 to 0°
- 4 rainy days · 18 mm
When is the best time to visit Yunnan?
- Jan13°not recommended
- Feb15°fair
- Mar18°recommended
- Apr21°recommended
- May23°recommended
- Jun24°fair
- Jul22°not recommended
- Aug22°fair
- Sep21°recommended
- Oct19°recommended
- Nov17°recommended
- Dec14°fair
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Yunnan, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13° | -1° | 19 mm | 4 d | |
| February | 15° | 0° | 26 mm | 5 d | |
| March | 18° | 3° | 25 mm | 6 d | ✓ |
| April | 21° | 7° | 48 mm | 8 d | ✓ |
| May | 23° | 10° | 102 mm | 12 d | ✓ |
| June | 24° | 14° | 231 mm | 21 d | |
| July | 22° | 14° | 294 mm | 26 d | |
| August | 22° | 14° | 250 mm | 25 d | |
| September | 21° | 13° | 262 mm | 25 d | ✓ |
| October | 19° | 9° | 139 mm | 18 d | ✓ |
| November | 17° | 4° | 30 mm | 4 d | ✓ |
| December | 14° | 0° | 10 mm | 2 d |
The four seasons in Yunnan, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Lijiang) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May18 to 23°
nights 3 to 10°
- 9 rainy days · 58 mm
Summer
Jun → Aug22 to 24°
nights 14°
- 24 rainy days · 258 mm
Autumn
Sep → Nov17 to 21°
nights 4 to 13°
- 16 rainy days · 144 mm
Book early for March to May and September to November
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 Yunnan, 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 13h49 of daylight, in December 10h27, a difference of 3h22.
10h37Jan
11h13Feb
11h56Mar
12h46Apr
13h27May
13h49Jun
13h40Jul
13h05Aug
12h16Sep
11h28Oct
10h47Nov
10h27Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Lijiang" (26.87°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Yunnan, month by month
EventsDai Water-Splashing FestivalAprilThird Month Fair in DaliMarch to AprilTorch FestivalJuly to AugustRapeseed in bloom at LuopingFebruary to MarchDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Sightseeing & walks: January, February, March, April, May, November, December
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in Yunnan, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- AprilDai Water-Splashing Festival big crowds
Xishuangbanna drenches itself for three days, with boat races on the Mekong and lanterns released in the evening, in mid-April.
- March to AprilThird Month Fair in Dali
The Bai gather at the foot of the Cangshan mountains for a big market, horse races and singing, for a week.
- July to AugustTorch Festival
Yi villages raise great torches and circle them all night, with wrestling, races and dancing, in the sixth lunar month.
- February to MarchRapeseed in bloom at Luoping
The karst hills of Luoping turn yellow for kilometres, between late February and mid-March.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended13°-1° at night
- 19 mm · 4 d
Low season, lower prices
February
Fair15°0° at night
- 26 mm · 5 d
Low season, lower prices
March
Recommended18°3° at night
- 25 mm · 6 d
Busy, without the crush
April
Recommended21°7° at night
- 48 mm · 8 d
High season, book early
May
Recommended23°10° at night
- 102 mm · 12 d
Busy, without the crush
June
Fair24°14° at night
- 231 mm · 21 d
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended22°14° at night
- 294 mm · 26 d
Low season, lower prices
August
Fair22°14° at night
- 250 mm · 25 d
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended21°13° at night
- 262 mm · 25 d
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended19°9° at night
- 139 mm · 18 d
Busy, without the crush
November
Recommended17°4° at night
- 30 mm · 4 d
Busy, without the crush
December
Fair14°0° at night
- 10 mm · 2 d
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 13 °C at best, -1 °C at night. Rain stays light: 19 mm over 4 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 15 °C at best, 0 °C at night. Rain stays light: 26 mm over 5 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 3 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 25 mm over 6 days. Busy season, without the crush.
April. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 7 °C early in the morning. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (48 mm). High season: book early.
May. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 10 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (102 mm). Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 231 mm over 21 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. A very wet month, 294 mm of rain over 26 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 250 mm over 25 days. Busy season, without the crush.
September. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 262 mm over 25 days. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 9 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 139 mm over 18 days. Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 17 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Rain stays light: 30 mm over 4 days. Busy season, without the crush.
December. Cool: 14 °C at best, 0 °C at night. Hardly any rain (10 mm over 2 days). 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 Yunnan?
March to May and September to November: over these months, recorded highs range from 17 to 23 °C, with 12 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Lijiang).
Which month should you avoid in Yunnan?
July: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 294 mm over 26 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Lijiang).
What is the hottest month in Yunnan?
June, with 24 °C on average in the afternoon and 14 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Lijiang).
What is the coldest month in Yunnan?
January, with 13 °C at best during the day and -1 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Lijiang).
What is the driest month in Yunnan?
December: 10 mm over 2 days of rain, against 294 mm in July, the wettest month.
Does it get cold at night in Yunnan?
The gap between day and night reaches 15 °C in February: 15 °C in the afternoon, 0 °C at dawn. Pack an extra layer, even in high season.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Yunnan guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit China: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: JC Terry / Pexels · INDU BIKASH SARKER / Pexels · G N / Pexels · Franklin David / Pexels · David Tran / Pexels