Best time to visit China

China in this dataset covers 18 cities with distinct NASA POWER grid cells (plus nearby cities that share a cell). Annual rainfall among those cities runs from 229 mm in Wuzhong to 1730 mm in Guangzhou. The monthly-average temperature swing is 13.5–41.9°C depending on the city.

China is not one climate: the cities here include a continental climate with a wide temperature swing; a humid subtropical climate; a mild oceanic climate; a dry, semi-arid climate.

Regional contrasts in China

The hottest peak in the sample is Wuhan in July (29.1°C). The coldest monthly average is Harbin in January (-18.6°C). Guangzhou takes the most rain (1730 mm a year, wettest in June); Wuzhong takes the least (229 mm).

Warmest-month averages in the set range from 23.3°C to 29.1°C. Use the city pages for the month-by-month table; this page is the contrast between places.

Best months by region

Southern cities: typical hottest-month average 28.7°C and about 1453 mm of rain a year. Best-scoring months — Chongqing (April, May, and September); Dongguan (March, November, and December); Guangzhou (March, November, and December); Hangzhou (May, September, and October); Wuhan (May, September, and October).

Central cities: typical hottest-month average 27.7°C and about 869 mm of rain a year. Best-scoring months — Chengdu (April, May, and September); Hefei (May, September, and October); Jinan (May, September, and October); Nanjing (May, June, and September); Shanghai (May, September, and October); Weifang (May, September, and October); Wuzhong (May, June, and September); Xi’an (April, May, and September).

Northern cities: typical hottest-month average 25.6°C and about 586 mm of rain a year. Best-scoring months — Beijing (May, June, and September); Dalian (June, July, and September); Harbin (June, July, and August); Shenyang (June, August, and September); Tianjin (April, May, and September).

Beijing in China

Beijing sits at 39.91°, 116.40°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. July is the warmest month at 26.7°C (high 32.5°C); January is the coolest at -4.4°C (low -10.2°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 31.1°C.

The wet season runs from June to September. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are May, June, and September. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 18,960,744. The wettest month is July (151 mm, 15 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is January (2 mm).

Chengdu in China

Chengdu sits at 30.67°, 104.07°. It is a humid subtropical climate. July is the warmest month at 27.9°C (high 32.6°C); January is the coolest at 6.0°C (low 0.7°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 21.9°C.

The wet season runs from May to September. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are April, May, and September. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 20,937,757. The wettest month is July (224 mm, 22 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (12 mm).

Chongqing in China

Chongqing sits at 29.56°, 106.56°. It is a humid subtropical climate. July is the warmest month at 28.4°C (high 33.0°C); January is the coolest at 7.0°C (low 2.5°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 21.4°C.

The wet season runs from April to October. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are April, May, and September. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 22,000,000. The wettest month is June (205 mm, 19 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is February (21 mm).

Dalian in China

Dalian sits at 38.91°, 121.60°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. August is the warmest month at 24.9°C (high 26.4°C); January is the coolest at -2.1°C (low -4.1°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 27.0°C.

The wet season runs from June to August. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are June, July, and September. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 7,450,785. The wettest month is August (170 mm, 12 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is January (6 mm).

Dongguan in China

Dongguan sits at 23.02°, 113.75°. It is a mild oceanic climate. July is the warmest month at 28.6°C (high 31.5°C); January is the coolest at 15.1°C (low 9.3°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 13.5°C.

The wet season runs from March to September. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are March, November, and December. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 9,644,871. The wettest month is June (325 mm, 23 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (28 mm).

Guangzhou in China

Guangzhou sits at 23.12°, 113.25°. It is a humid subtropical climate. July is the warmest month at 28.6°C (high 31.7°C); January is the coolest at 14.6°C (low 8.8°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 14.0°C.

The wet season runs from March to September. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are March, November, and December. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 18,676,605. The wettest month is June (332 mm, 23 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (30 mm).

Hangzhou in China

Hangzhou sits at 30.29°, 120.16°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. July is the warmest month at 28.6°C (high 32.6°C); January is the coolest at 4.1°C (low -0.6°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 24.5°C.

The wet season runs from February to September. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are May, September, and October. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 11,936,010. The wettest month is June (230 mm, 17 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (59 mm).

Harbin in China

Harbin sits at 45.75°, 126.65°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. July is the warmest month at 23.3°C (high 28.6°C); January is the coolest at -18.6°C (low -23.7°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 41.9°C.

The wet season runs from June to August. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are June, July, and August. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 10,009,854. The wettest month is July (139 mm, 17 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is January (6 mm).

Hefei in China

Hefei sits at 31.86°, 117.28°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. July is the warmest month at 28.5°C (high 32.3°C); January is the coolest at 2.7°C (low -2.2°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 25.8°C.

The wet season runs from April to August. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are May, September, and October. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 9,465,881. The wettest month is July (227 mm, 17 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (38 mm).

Jinan in China

Jinan sits at 36.67°, 117.00°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. July is the warmest month at 27.2°C (high 32.3°C); January is the coolest at -1.9°C (low -6.7°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 29.1°C.

The wet season runs from June to August. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are May, September, and October. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 8,352,574. The wettest month is July (188 mm, 17 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is January (7 mm).

Nanjing in China

Nanjing sits at 32.06°, 118.78°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. July is the warmest month at 28.4°C (high 32.2°C); January is the coolest at 2.8°C (low -2.0°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 25.6°C.

The wet season runs from June to September. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are May, June, and September. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 9,314,685. The wettest month is July (243 mm, 16 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (42 mm).

Shanghai in China

Shanghai sits at 31.22°, 121.46°. It is a humid subtropical climate. August is the warmest month at 28.8°C (high 31.9°C); January is the coolest at 4.8°C (low 1.1°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 24.0°C.

The wet season runs from April to September. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are May, September, and October. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 24,874,500. The wettest month is June (195 mm, 16 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (53 mm).

Shenyang in China

Shenyang sits at 41.79°, 123.43°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. July is the warmest month at 25.4°C (high 30.8°C); January is the coolest at -11.8°C (low -17.3°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 37.2°C.

The wet season runs from June to August. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are June, August, and September. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 9,070,093. The wettest month is August (153 mm, 13 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is January (5 mm).

Tianjin in China

Tianjin sits at 39.14°, 117.18°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. July is the warmest month at 27.7°C (high 33.3°C); January is the coolest at -3.5°C (low -8.7°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 31.2°C.

The wet season runs from June to August. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are April, May, and September. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 13,866,009. The wettest month is July (156 mm, 14 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is January (2 mm).

Weifang in China

Weifang sits at 36.71°, 119.10°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. July is the warmest month at 27.5°C (high 32.6°C); January is the coolest at -1.5°C (low -6.3°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 29.0°C.

The wet season runs from June to August. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are May, September, and October. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 9,386,705. The wettest month is July (168 mm, 16 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is January (8 mm).

Wuhan in China

Wuhan sits at 30.58°, 114.27°. It is a humid subtropical climate. July is the warmest month at 29.1°C (high 32.3°C); January is the coolest at 4.6°C (low 0.3°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 24.5°C.

The wet season runs from March to August. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are May, September, and October. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 13,739,000. The wettest month is July (222 mm, 15 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (34 mm).

Wuzhong in China

Wuzhong sits at 37.99°, 106.20°. It is a dry, semi-arid climate. July is the warmest month at 25.4°C (high 32.5°C); January is the coolest at -5.7°C (low -11.4°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 31.1°C.

The year is dry: only 229 mm, with August the least-dry month at 50 mm. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are May, June, and September. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 7,202,654. The wettest month is August (50 mm, 8 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (1 mm).

Xi’an in China

Xi’an sits at 34.26°, 108.93°. It is a continental climate with a wide temperature swing. July is the warmest month at 27.6°C (high 33.5°C); January is the coolest at 0.9°C (low -3.9°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 26.7°C.

The wet season runs from June to September. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are April, May, and September. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 12,952,907. The wettest month is September (125 mm, 13 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (6 mm).