Climate and Weather of China
China is a country with a wide range of climates, which means that it's more accurate to speak about the climates in China, rather than the climate of China. The country is also known for its extreme weather conditions, including floods, hurricanes (typhoons), sandstorms, heavy hail, extreme heat, and serious frosts.Less than half of China has a temperate climate with wet summers and dry winters. The wettest month in summer has at least ten times as much precipitation on average as the driest month in winter.
While the eastern part of China can experience heavy rainfall during the summer, the western part may suffer from prolonged drought at the same time. There can also be significant differences in temperature across China during the same season, with large variations possible in both winter and summer. For example, the desert climate in the north can cause considerable cold in the winter months of December through March (with minimums around -30°C), while summer temperatures can easily reach as high as 30°C to 40°C.
The western part of China is a combination of mountains and deserts, including the Himalayan Mountains with the world's highest peaks, in a rugged landscape with a large number of rivers. This area mainly has high-mountain climates, but at lower elevations, there's also a steppe and desert climate.
Autumn (September to early October) is generally the most comfortable season to visit China, with reasonable temperatures throughout the country ranging from 10°C to 22°C and a limited amount of rain. Spring (May to June) is also a good period to visit with roughly the same average temperatures as in autumn.
Summer (from June to the end of August) can be extremely hot, with temperatures well above 30°C, and it's also the rainy season in China, depending on the location.
Are you interested in more detailed information for various cities in China?
Please select the city you plan to visit, or one closest to your destination. For each selected city, you will see the following graphs:
1. Yearly average minimum and maximum temperatures
2. Monthly averages of precipitation throughout the year (rainfall, snow etc)
3. Monthly average hours of sunshine throughout the year
Additionally, some pages provide historical weather data such as humidity, wind speed, and water temperature.