Climate & Weather < Travel Tips < Home

back

China has a marked continental monsoonal climate characterized by great variety. Most parts are in the northern temperate zone while the southern areas are in the tropical or subtropical zone and northern areas in the frigid zone. Most parts of China have clear division between seasons. In winter, northerly winds from high latitude areas keep the northern part cold and dry, while in summer, monsoons from southern coastal areas bring warm and moisture. In addition, the climate also varies with the extensive territory and various topography from region to region. In north China, such as Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, summer is dry and sweltering while winter is formidably cold. Sandstorms sometimes occur in April in this area, especially in the Inner Mongolia and Beijing area. On the Tibet-Qinghai plateau (about 4,000m above sea level), winter is long and extremely cold while summer is short and moderately warm. There is little precipitation in this area and the temperature fluctuation is great between day and night. In central china (the valley along where the Yangtze River travel), summer is long, hot and humid while winter is short and cold. In the areas south of the Yangtze River, temperature rarely falls below freezing. In the far south, areas around Guangzhou, the summer is long, humid and hot while the winter is short and comfortable, a paradise consider by many northerners. The rainy season runs from may through august and typhoons frequently occur in the southeast coast between July and September. China's Geographic area is slightly larger than the U.S.; it covers similiar latitudes, with the lion's share located in the tempeerate zone. This provides endless year-round variety for visitors to this amazing country, from ice fesitval in the north to tropical beach resorts in the sourth. Keep in mind the vast distances between destinations when planning your trip; travelling along the popular Golden Route (Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guilin) is the rough equivalent of visiting Chicago, Washington DC, Atlanta, and Miami, all in one trip. Weather-wise, Shanghai's and Guangzhou's climates resemble those of US southeastern coastal states, while Beijing's climate is more like Chicago's. While China is a year-round destination, the month of May, September and October are ideal months for travel anywhere in the country. In the north, the winters are cold, and summer warm, with moist monsoon air streams making it hot (80% of China's rainfall occurs between late May and early October, mostly in the Southern regions). June through August is a good time to visit central and northern China. Spring and autumn are best months for travel in Southern China. The months of March and April are the lower priced shoulder-season; while the lowest price, off-season travel, is from November through the winter months. This is when adventuresome travelers are rewarded with unbelievably low prices and far fewer fellow tourists.