China Weather

North China - Beijing, Datong, Pingyao, Luoyang, etc.

Featuring the temperate continental climate, North China has four distinct seasons with intensely hot summers and bitterly cold winters. Being the transitional periods, the weather in spring and autumn changes largely and in most times, the cold weather will last in mid-spring. In winter and spring, there are some windy and dusty days in some cities, such as Beijing.

Northeast China - Harbin, Dalian, etc.

Sharing the similar weather of north China, the northeast China weather in spring is more cool than autumn’s and the summer is quite dry and hot in August. The air in autumn is favorable along with fresh breeze in the morning. And winter is much cold comparing to south china, with thick snow outside, the temperature indoor is comfortable as heating installation.

Northwest China - Gansu, Xinjiang, Qinghai, etc.

Covering most desert land, this region has tremendous weather change in one day. Summer can be burning hot in daytime and quite cool in night. Winter is warm during the day, but largely drops in temperature at night. In Spring and Autumn it's quite dry and the temperature varies dramatically from day and night.

South Central China - Wuhan, Guilin, Zhangjiajie, etc.

Affected by the subtropical monsoon climate mostly, the weather in this region shares much features of south China area. With wet & hot summer and dry & cold winter, the seasonal shifting is distinctive by gradually temperature changing. While in spring and autumn, the temperature is mild and pleasant for outdoor activities.

Southeast China - Shanghai, Suzhou, Huangshan, etc.

With semi-tropical summers and cool winters, the weather in southeast region tends to be milder and wetter. Influenced by the monsoon, the region has substantial rainfall to last several months from late-spring to summer end, which largely lower the high temperature of summer. The winter is unbearable for its freezing cold seems getting into the depth of bone marrow.

Southwest China - Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet, etc.

Consisting of mountainous regions mostly, Chengdu is the unwonted plain with obvious seasonal timings for comfortable weather in spring and autumn and hot stuffy summer and cold winter with less snow. Other regions, like Yunnan and Tibet, the weather is quite changeable during one day. Due to the high altitude, the temperatures are quite low in whole year, but full of sunlight.

Monsoon: affected by rain band moving, the rainy season transfers from south to north and lasting for several months. Begin in May, the monsoon visit route is from southeast area along the coast, the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River, and to north and northeast China, ends in September.

Typhoons: as a loanword, Typhoons is often occurred in coastal regions of China, like Fujian, Hainan and Zhejiang provinces. Invading in the period of summer to early winter, the influence can be massive and destructive. If you travel China in these areas of the time, please notice the local weather forecast.

Hailstone: being a weather phenomenon, Hailstone is commonly seen from April to July, when the gradually warming weather changes from spring to summer, increasing the ground temperature over high, caused a series of physical processes of gasification and solidification. Normally, Hailstone is more likely in mountainous areas and inland regions, such as south of Gansu province, west of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, etc.

Smoggy Weather: smog, a natural phenomenon, itself, makes people afraid by the aggravated air pollutions in recent years. When comes to winter, some major cities of north China are covered by smoggy weather, including Beijing, Nanjing, Zhengzhou, Xian and more. So travel in those cities, you should wear masks, drink more water and pay much attention.

With distinct four seasons in most regions, autumn is the best season to visit China natural beauty with comfortable weather. While traveling in the vast expanses of China, there are a plenty variety of attractions await you exploring in different seasons.

Following the Alternate seasons of the year, you may climb the ancient Great Wall to overlook the uncensored picturesque landscape of spring; take Yangtze River Cruise to enjoy a leisure onboard life for couple of days in the light breeze summer; fly to Jiuzhaigou to encounter the fairy land of crystal blue water in the golden autumn; or come to ice city of Harbin to feel the silver-coated scene of winter. Click Best time to visit China to find more suggestions.