Dali

Yunnan Weather in January

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

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Lijiang Dali Kunming Shangri-La

Planning a getaway to Yunnan, China this January 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 January

Yunnan, China is a region in China. In January, Yunnan experiences a range of weather conditions, with temperatures that range from very cold to warm and precipitation levels ranging from low to moderate. January is a winter month.

Temperatures

The average maximum daytime temperatures vary from very cold in Deqen at -2°C (28°F) to warm in Jinghong at 26°C (79°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 11°C (52°F) in Jinghong and -16°C (3°F) in Deqen. On average, January is the coldest month of the year in Yunnan, China. So be prepared and make sure to pack winter cloths.

To explore the conditions in Yunnan, China in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From low snow/rainfall in Lijiang with an average of 21 mm (0.8 in) to moderate snow/rainfall in Benzilan with 97 mm (3.8 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is generally plentiful throughout many areas. Lijiang enjoys about 257 hours of sunlight, ideal for those seeking sunny weather.

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 January

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 January for some of the most popular destinations in Yunnan, China?

Temperature range in Yunnan (January)

Precipitation variation in Yunnan (January)

Lijiang

In January Lijiang generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 13°C (55°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -1°C (30°F) and low monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
14°C (57°F)
13°C (55°F)
15°C (59°F)
Min temperature
-1°C (30°F)
-1°C (30°F)
0°C (32°F)
Monthly sun hours
265 hours
257 hours
230 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
13 mm (0.5 in)
21 mm (0.8 in)
25 mm (1 in)
Monthly rainy days
3 days
3 days
5 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
tolerable
pleasant
Climate in Lijiang →

Dali

In January Dali generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 16°C (61°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
17°C (63°F)
16°C (61°F)
18°C (64°F)
Min temperature
4°C (39°F)
3°C (37°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly rainfall
16 mm (0.6 in)
28 mm (1.1 in)
28 mm (1.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
6 days
4 days
4 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
pleasant
perfect
Climate in Dali →

Kunming

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

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
16°C (61°F)
16°C (61°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
5°C (41°F)
5°C (41°F)
7°C (45°F)
Monthly sun hours
200 hours
224 hours
218 hours
Monthly rainfall
28 mm (1.1 in)
39 mm (1.5 in)
35 mm (1.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
11 days
10 days
6 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
tolerable
pleasant
Climate in Kunming →

Shangri-La

In January Shangri-La generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C (37°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -10°C (14°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
6°C (43°F)
3°C (37°F)
3°C (37°F)
Min temperature
-6°C (21°F)
-10°C (14°F)
-8°C (18°F)
Monthly snow/rainfall
19 mm (0.7 in)
46 mm (1.8 in)
61 mm (2.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
4 days
5 days
8 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Shangri-La →

Jinghong

In January Jinghong generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 26°C (79°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 11°C (52°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
25°C (77°F)
26°C (79°F)
29°C (84°F)
Min temperature
12°C (54°F)
11°C (52°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly rainfall
31 mm (1.2 in)
30 mm (1.2 in)
19 mm (0.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
4 days
4 days
3 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 January extremes

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

  • In our records, the coldest January daytime high in China was -43°C (-45°F) in Ergun on January 11, 2001.

Popular cities in January

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

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Lijiang 13°C (55°F) -1°C (30°F) 21 mm (0.8 in)
Dali 16°C (61°F) 3°C (37°F) 28 mm (1.1 in)
Kunming 16°C (61°F) 5°C (41°F) 39 mm (1.5 in)
Shangri-La 3°C (37°F) -10°C (14°F) 46 mm (1.8 in)
Jinghong 26°C (79°F) 11°C (52°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Xishuangbanna 26°C (79°F) 11°C (52°F) 31 mm (1.2 in)

Yunnan weather in January: frequently asked questions

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

Yunnan, China typically experiences tolerable weather in January, part of the winter season. Daytime highs in Lijiang average around 13°C (55°F), and temperatures drop to about -1°C (30°F) at night.

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

In Lijiang, the average daytime high in January is 13°C (55°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around -1°C (30°F).

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

Not particularly. Lijiang averages just 21 mm (0.8 in) of snow/rain in January, making it a mostly dry month for Yunnan, China.

Is January a Good Time to Visit Yunnan, China?

In our opinion, January is a good time to visit Yunnan, China with overall tolerable weather in Lijiang. However, the weather conditions may vary depending on your destination.

On average, the best time to visit Yunnan, China is in April with generally perfect weather in Lijiang. In contrast, July and August tend to have poor weather conditions.

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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