gowhereandwhen.comChoose your city first. April and October suit many city walks. Harbin is cold in winter; Guangzhou stays warm. Compare seven cities below.
A 0 to 100 comfort rating from daytime heat, overnight chill, rainfall and storm risk, for Beijing. Higher is better. Some booking links earn us a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Compare heat and rain before you choose.
Summer gets hotter and wetter in Beijing.
Harbin can still suit an ice trip.
The year at a glance
The score above uses Beijing weather. It cannot rate all of China. Check the city table for your destination.
Plan around the 2026 Labour Day break, May 1–5, and National Day break, October 1–7. Trains and major sights can be busy.
China weather, city by city
The score above uses Beijing. Compare seven cities before choosing a month.
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Average daytime high and monthly rain, 2001–2020
| Month | Beijing | Shanghai | Xi'an | Chengdu | Kunming | Guangzhou | Harbin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2°C 2 mm rain | 8°C 67 mm rain | 6°C 9 mm rain | 11°C 12 mm rain | 16°C 20 mm rain | 21°C 49 mm rain | -13°C 5 mm rain |
| Feb | 5°C 6 mm rain | 10°C 78 mm rain | 10°C 13 mm rain | 15°C 14 mm rain | 18°C 8 mm rain | 23°C 41 mm rain | -8°C 5 mm rain |
| Mar | 13°C 9 mm rain | 15°C 88 mm rain | 17°C 23 mm rain | 20°C 33 mm rain | 21°C 15 mm rain | 26°C 96 mm rain | 2°C 11 mm rain |
| Apr | 22°C 24 mm rain | 20°C 95 mm rain | 24°C 40 mm rain | 26°C 60 mm rain | 24°C 28 mm rain | 29°C 152 mm rain | 13°C 22 mm rain |
| May | 29°C 39 mm rain | 25°C 105 mm rain | 28°C 69 mm rain | 30°C 96 mm rain | 26°C 77 mm rain | 31°C 298 mm rain | 22°C 54 mm rain |
| Jun | 32°C 84 mm rain | 28°C 195 mm rain | 33°C 84 mm rain | 32°C 129 mm rain | 27°C 144 mm rain | 31°C 332 mm rain | 27°C 104 mm rain |
| Jul | 33°C 151 mm rain | 32°C 148 mm rain | 34°C 124 mm rain | 33°C 224 mm rain | 26°C 177 mm rain | 32°C 213 mm rain | 29°C 135 mm rain |
| Aug | 31°C 109 mm rain | 32°C 173 mm rain | 32°C 114 mm rain | 31°C 201 mm rain | 26°C 155 mm rain | 32°C 244 mm rain | 27°C 105 mm rain |
| Sep | 27°C 64 mm rain | 28°C 136 mm rain | 26°C 125 mm rain | 27°C 127 mm rain | 25°C 103 mm rain | 31°C 178 mm rain | 22°C 54 mm rain |
| Oct | 19°C 30 mm rain | 23°C 77 mm rain | 21°C 60 mm rain | 23°C 59 mm rain | 22°C 68 mm rain | 29°C 56 mm rain | 12°C 21 mm rain |
| Nov | 10°C 14 mm rain | 18°C 71 mm rain | 14°C 27 mm rain | 18°C 23 mm rain | 19°C 21 mm rain | 26°C 42 mm rain | -1°C 13 mm rain |
| Dec | 2°C 2 mm rain | 11°C 53 mm rain | 7°C 6 mm rain | 12°C 12 mm rain | 16°C 12 mm rain | 22°C 30 mm rain | -12°C 8 mm rain |
In July, Kunming is cooler than Chengdu. Harbin has a far colder January than Guangzhou.
These city estimates miss Tibet, Xinjiang, Hainan and mountain conditions. Check a local forecast before travel.
Sources and weather notes
NASA POWER / MERRA-2 estimates use daily data from 2001–2020. Highs are average daily highs; rain is the average monthly total. This is map-based climate data, not station readings or a forecast. The Beijing score above uses separate weather inputs.
Beijing data · Shanghai data · Xi'an data · Chengdu data · Kunming data · Guangzhou data · Harbin data · 2026 public holiday dates · National Day rail demand · Harbin ice tourism · Checked October 2026
China month by month
Highs, lows, rainfall and the rating, for Beijing.
JanuaryFreezing and dry.Avoid 17
- Daytime high
- 2°C / 36°F
- Overnight low
- -9°C / 16°F
- Rainfall
- 3 mm
Freezing and dry.
FebruaryCold and dry.Avoid 18
- Daytime high
- 5°C / 41°F
- Overnight low
- -6°C / 21°F
- Rainfall
- 5 mm
Cold and dry.
MarchCool and dry.Great 59
- Daytime high
- 12°C / 54°F
- Overnight low
- 0°C / 32°F
- Rainfall
- 9 mm
Cool and dry.
AprilMild and dryIdeal 100
- Daytime high
- 20°C / 68°F
- Overnight low
- 7°C / 45°F
- Rainfall
- 26 mm
Mild and dry.
MayWarm and dryIdeal 100
- Daytime high
- 26°C / 79°F
- Overnight low
- 13°C / 55°F
- Rainfall
- 29 mm
Warm and dry.
JuneHot with a little rain.Ideal 88
- Daytime high
- 30°C / 86°F
- Overnight low
- 18°C / 64°F
- Rainfall
- 71 mm
Hot with a little rain.
JulyHot and wet.Good 52
- Daytime high
- 31°C / 88°F
- Overnight low
- 21°C / 70°F
- Rainfall
- 176 mm
Hot and wet.
AugustHot and wet.Good 52
- Daytime high
- 30°C / 86°F
- Overnight low
- 20°C / 68°F
- Rainfall
- 182 mm
Hot and wet.
SeptemberWarm and dryIdeal 98
- Daytime high
- 26°C / 79°F
- Overnight low
- 14°C / 57°F
- Rainfall
- 49 mm
Warm and dry.
OctoberMild and dry.Ideal 96
- Daytime high
- 19°C / 66°F
- Overnight low
- 7°C / 45°F
- Rainfall
- 22 mm
Mild and dry.
NovemberCool and dry.Good 49
- Daytime high
- 10°C / 50°F
- Overnight low
- -1°C / 30°F
- Rainfall
- 7 mm
Cool and dry.
DecemberCold and dry.Avoid 17
- Daytime high
- 4°C / 39°F
- Overnight low
- -7°C / 19°F
- Rainfall
- 3 mm
Cold and dry.
Where you go changes when you go
Beijing and Xi'an
Compare April and October for city walks. July is hotter and wetter.
Shanghai and Guangzhou
Guangzhou stays warmer. Both cities have heavy summer rain.
Kunming and Chengdu
Kunming has cooler summer days. Chengdu has much more July rain.
Best time to visit China for
Beijing and Xi'an walks
Compare April and October highs before the summer heat or winter cold.
Harbin ice trip
Winter brings ice attractions and deep cold. Check this season's opening dates.
Kunming city trip
Its summer days are cooler than Chengdu's, but rain rises from May.
Holiday travel
Check train and sight bookings around the dated national breaks.
What is on, and when
Harbin ice season
Winter ice attractions depend on weather and announced opening dates.
2026 national breaks
Labour Day is May 1–5. National Day is October 1–7.
Watch out
Beijing rain
Jul to Aug.
Beijing cold
Dec to Feb.
Where to stay in China
Compare places to stay around Beijing. Choose your dates on the booking site.
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Before you choose a stay
- Check the exact location and transport connections.
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Good to know
What is the best time to visit China?
When are China's 2026 national travel breaks?
Is China too hot in summer?
Plan another month or destination
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