Shanghai weather in May (Shanghai Area, China)

Looking to travel to Shanghai in May? This guide provides all the details you need.

In May, Shanghai typically experiences high temperatures and high rainfall. Throughout the day, temperatures typically settle at around 78°F (show in °C). But by evening, they drop to around 64°F.

Shanghai in May usually receives high rainfall, averaging around 5 inches (show in mm) for the month. Rain is expected on roughly 15 days.

The area experiences a moderate amount of sunshine, with approximately 168 hours of sunlight expected. This makes it neither too gloomy nor overly bright.

If you prefer dry days with pleasant temperatures, October typically offers the best circumstances. While January and June tend to showcase less optimal conditions.

For an in-depth look at the yearly conditions, visit our specialized Shanghai climate page with graphs.

 

Shanghai, monthly averages in May

Show in Celsius
Min Temperature 64°F  
Max Temperature 77.5°F  
Water Temperature 63°F  
Chance of Rain 49%  
Precipitation 5 inches  
Rainy days 15 days  
Humidity 72%  
Windspeed 7 mph  
Sunshine 168 hours  
Percentage Sunshine  

Where to go in China in May

Find out more about the weather in China in May and which places have the best weather conditions in this month.

Map not visible? Whoops sorry! Please refresh the page.
Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor
Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20-29ºC / 68-84ºF and not too much precipitation (less than 90mm / 3.5inches a month).

So, what should you wear in Shanghai in May?

It's going to be warm! Consider airy clothing, t-shirts, and other summer clothes. Shorts for men made of cotton or linen are good options for staying cool. However, there's a good chance of rain, so bring a raincoat just in case. With a water temperature of around 63°F there is no need to bring your swimwear.

What To Do

We rated the following activities from 1 (least suitable) to 10 (best) to do in May.

Swimming
7/10
Cycling
7/10
Walking
7/10
Camping
6/10
Outdoor sports
7/10

Interested in more climate information?

Weather and Climate provides you with all the information you need about the climate in Shanghai.

Our site offers climate and forecast data for every country in the world. Are you going to China? On this website you can find historical weather averages for many cities in China. Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.