The Li River: A Journey Through China’s Most Breathtaking Landscape
Explore the Li River, China's breathtaking landscape with majestic mountains, serene waters, and picturesque views. A must-see for every traveler.
January in Shanghai brings low temperatures around 9°C (48°F) during the day, dropping to 3°C (37°F) at night, with quite a bit of rainfall expected, averaging around 65 mm (2.6 in) for the month.
January in Shanghai has its charm, but if you're looking for destinations with pleasant temperatures and sunny skies, our weather planner can help you explore other options in the world.
Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Shanghai - and find the best time to visit.
51-year average (1976-2026)
Based on our historical records, temperatures in Shanghai typically stay consistent throughout January, with daily highs averaging around 9°C (48°F). Nights are cold, with lows around 2°C (36°F).
51-year average (1976-2026)
Average daily rainfall for each day of the month based on long-term records.
Browse day-by-day weather records for Shanghai spanning 51 years. Select any month and year to see actual temperatures, rainfall, and conditions recorded on each day.
Based on 49 years of weather observations in Shanghai between 1976 and 2025, these are the recorded extremes.
Find out more about the weather in China and which places have the best travel conditions in this month. See all of China in January →
Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).
We recommend to layer up for chilly conditions in Shanghai in January. You could start with thermal underwear or a good base layer to keep your core warm on the cooler days this month. Maybe also add a sweater or fleece, and top it off with a windproof jacket. Rain is likely on several days, so bring a good rain jacket. With water temperatures around 10°C (50°F), the water is quite cold for swimming. You can skip the swimwear unless you're particularly tough. Bring sunglasses since you'll have some sunny periods throughout the month
We rated the following activities from 1 (least suitable) to 10 (best) to do.
Temperature Rainfall Sunshine Humidity Wind Speed Water Temp
See the full Shanghai climate overview or explore weather in China.
Where to go in January - average daytime high across popular destinations.
Need travel inspiration? Check out our bucket list articles and be inspired.
The Li River: A Journey Through China’s Most Breathtaking Landscape
Explore the Li River, China's breathtaking landscape with majestic mountains, serene waters, and picturesque views. A must-see for every traveler.
Go to China's Zhangjiajie National Park with the highest, the fastest, largest-loaded outdoor elevator in the world
You won't find this unique landscape anywhere else in the world. Thousands of floating mountains overgrown with trees at the top dominate this fairy tale landscape.
Go to Xinjiang in China
In Xinjiang you get to see a mix of East and Central Asia. An experience that you might want to add to your bucket list. You can travel through the province as if you are following an ancient silk route.
Mount Kailash
The best time for a Kailash tour/trekking is from mid-May to mid-October when the temperature is most pleasant. It is warm, dry and sunny in that period.