Dali

Yunnan Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Yunnan, China in December.

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Lijiang Dali Kunming Shangri-La

Planning a getaway to Yunnan, China this December and curious about the weather you should prepare for? Discover all the vital details you need on this page, solving your puzzle:

What to Expect in Yunnan in December

Yunnan, China is a region in China. Yunnan, China has a wide variety of climate types. During December, you can expect temperatures that range from very cold to warm and precipitation levels ranging from low to moderate. During December, winter is in full swing.

Temperatures

During the day the temperature is very cold in Deqen at 1°C (34°F) and warm in Jinghong at 25°C (77°F). As night falls, temperatures generally drop to 12°C (54°F) in Jinghong and -13°C (9°F) in Deqen.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of Yunnan, China, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From low snow/rainfall in Lijiang with an average of 13 mm (0.5 in) to moderate snow/rainfall in Yuanyang with 56 mm (2.2 in). Based on our climate data it is the driest month of the year in Lijiang.

Average sunshine

Several destinations enjoy plenty of sunshine this month. Lijiang sees close to 265 hours of sunlight, making it great for sun lovers.

Explore Yunnan by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Yunnan — and find the best time to visit. (based on Lijiang)

January13°C (55°F) February15°C (59°F) March17°C (63°F) April20°C (68°F) May23°C (73°F) June24°C (75°F) This monthJuly23°C (73°F) August22°C (72°F) September21°C (70°F) October19°C (66°F) November16°C (61°F) December14°C (57°F)
Best Time to Visit Yunnan →

Best Places to Visit in Yunnan in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Yunnan.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

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).

Popular Destinations in Yunnan

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in Yunnan, China?

Temperature range in Yunnan (December)

Precipitation variation in Yunnan (December)

Lijiang

In December Lijiang generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 14°C (57°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -1°C (30°F) and low monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
16°C (61°F)
14°C (57°F)
13°C (55°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
-1°C (30°F)
-1°C (30°F)
Monthly sun hours
226 hours
265 hours
257 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
32 mm (1.3 in)
13 mm (0.5 in)
21 mm (0.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
6 days
3 days
3 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
pleasant
tolerable
Climate in Lijiang →

Dali

In December Dali generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 4°C (39°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
19°C (66°F)
17°C (63°F)
16°C (61°F)
Min temperature
8°C (46°F)
4°C (39°F)
3°C (37°F)
Monthly rainfall
30 mm (1.2 in)
16 mm (0.6 in)
28 mm (1.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
8 days
6 days
4 days
Weather conditions
perfect
pleasant
pleasant
Climate in Dali →

Kunming

In December Kunming generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 16°C (61°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C (41°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
19°C (66°F)
16°C (61°F)
16°C (61°F)
Min temperature
9°C (48°F)
5°C (41°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
169 hours
200 hours
224 hours
Monthly rainfall
37 mm (1.5 in)
28 mm (1.1 in)
39 mm (1.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
11 days
11 days
10 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
pleasant
tolerable
Climate in Kunming →

Shangri-La

In December Shangri-La generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -6°C (21°F) and low monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
10°C (50°F)
6°C (43°F)
3°C (37°F)
Min temperature
-2°C (28°F)
-6°C (21°F)
-10°C (14°F)
Monthly snow/rainfall
29 mm (1.1 in)
19 mm (0.7 in)
46 mm (1.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
6 days
4 days
5 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
unpleasant
poor
Climate in Shangri-La →

Jinghong

In December Jinghong generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 25°C (77°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 12°C (54°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
25°C (77°F)
26°C (79°F)
Min temperature
15°C (59°F)
12°C (54°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly rainfall
51 mm (2 in)
31 mm (1.2 in)
30 mm (1.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
8 days
4 days
4 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Jinghong →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Yunnan, in China.

In our records: China December extremes

Notable December records observed across cities in China in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • Based on our data, the coldest December night in China dropped to -50°C (-58°F) in Ergun on December 31, 2009.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Yunnan in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Lijiang 14°C (57°F) -1°C (30°F) 13 mm (0.5 in)
Dali 17°C (63°F) 4°C (39°F) 16 mm (0.6 in)
Kunming 16°C (61°F) 5°C (41°F) 28 mm (1.1 in)
Shangri-La 6°C (43°F) -6°C (21°F) 19 mm (0.7 in)
Jinghong 25°C (77°F) 12°C (54°F) 31 mm (1.2 in)
Xishuangbanna 25°C (77°F) 12°C (54°F) 31 mm (1.2 in)

Yunnan weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Yunnan, China in December?

Yunnan, China typically experiences pleasant weather in December, part of the winter season. Daytime highs in Lijiang average around 14°C (57°F), and temperatures drop to about -1°C (30°F) at night.

What is the average temperature in Yunnan, China in December?

Daytime temperatures in Lijiang peak at roughly 14°C (57°F) in December, dropping to about -1°C (30°F) overnight.

Does Yunnan, China get a lot of snow/rain in December?

Rain is generally moderate to light in Yunnan, China during December, with Lijiang averaging close to 13 mm (0.5 in).

Is December a Good Time to Visit Yunnan, China?

In our opinion, December is a good time to visit Yunnan, China with overall pleasant weather in Lijiang. It's worth noting that weather conditions might differ depending on the location you visit.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in April offering mostly perfect weather in Lijiang. On the other hand, the weather in July and August tend to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Yunnan.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to China? Get detailed 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 travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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