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The climate of China
Being an enormous country in Asia several climate types can be found
within China. The country is also known for the extreme weather
conditions that may occur here. Floods, hurricanes (typhoons), sand
storms, heavy hail storms, extreme heat and extreme cold temperatures
cause the country to hit the headlines in the international news.
Climate information of places and areas in China
The climate information given on this page is only brief. Specific
information on weather and climate can be found on the pages per
region or city. The following climate information is available for
China.
Climate information on cities and regions in China
China climate
China is the only country in the world after which a climate type is
named. According to the Köppen climate classification a China climate
is a moderate climate with wet summers and is known as a Cw-climate. A
climate is classified as a China climate when the wettest month in the
summer gets at least ten times the amount of precipitation as the
driest month of winter. The average temperature of the coldest month
has to be between -3 and 18 degrees Celsius and at least one month has
to have an average temperature of 10 degrees Celsius or more. This
climate type doesn’t occur in all of China, in total less than half of
China has this climate type. A China climate can also be found in
India, Brazil, Paraguay and in other South American countries and in
the south of Africa.
Contrasts
Where weather and climate are concerned China is a land of many
contrasts. During the summer the western part of China may get large
amounts of rain while other parts in the west may be very dry at the
same time. There may also be large differences in temperature within
China at the same time. A difference of tens of degrees Celsius may
occur during summer as well as during winter. Locally, contrasts
between the seasons may be very large as well. In the northern part of
the country the desert climate causes extreme cold during winter
(temperatures around -30 degrees Celsius) while temperatures of 30-40
degrees Celsius can be recorded during summer.
The dry North
The northern part of China mainly consists of high plains without any
significant peaks. Desert climates and steppe climates can be found
here with dry and cold winters and warm to hot summers. During the
winter the climate is influenced by the Siberian cold causing
temperatures to drop to -20 or even -30 degrees Celsius on these high
plains. The lower parts in the north east are far less cold. During
the winter temperatures are around freezing point here. The northern
part of China doesn’t get much rain. The areas bordering Mongolia get
about 150 millimeters of annual precipitation. The wettest areas are
the lower areas in the east with about 700 millimeters of annual
precipitation. Most of the precipitation falls during summer. During
the winter precipitation figures are lowest, most of the precipitation
falls in the form of snow. In extreme cases the coastal areas may get
large amounts of snow. With about 3,000 hours of annual sunshine the
northern part of China is among the sunniest in Asia and even in the
world.
The mountainous west
The western part of China consists of a combination of mountains and
deserts. The Himalayas can be found here, the highest mountain peaks
in the world in a rugged landscape alternated with green hills and a
large number of rivers. The higher parts have a high mountain climate
(type EH), in the lower parts steppe climates and desert climates can
be found and on the eastern side of the Himalayas there is a China
climate. During the winter it is cold in the entire western part of
China. In the northerly located desert areas temperatures are between
-10 and -30 degrees Celsius during the winter. Temperatures are
slightly higher in the south as long as you stay below 3,500-4,000
meters. Below these altitudes average temperatures in the Himalayas
are -10 degrees Celsius. It may be extremely cold during the winter on
the high peaks, in combination with thin air and (fierce) winds from
the cold north conditions are harsh for both man and beast. After a
short spring the warm and sunny summer starts. Warm air is supplied
from the west and cause temperatures to rise to 25-30 degrees Celsius,
with the exception of the high mountains where temperatures are much
lower. On the high mountain peaks everlasting snow can be found. The
region is known for dust storms in March, April and sometimes in
February. These storms occur when the frozen ground thaws. The sand
and dust is transported by the wind over large distances and causes
poor visibility. During these storms the air colors gray, yellow or
even black.
Monsoon and wind in the south east
The smallest differences in temperatures between summer and winter can
be found in the south eastern part of China. During the winter subzero
temperatures during the day are uncommon in almost the entire region.
Subzero temperatures during the night may occur in the interior
(Wuhan, Lake Dongting, Suizhou, Changsha). Along the coast in the
south subzero temperatures are uncommon. Along the eastern coast
subzero temperatures hardly ever occur. Snowfall only occurs in the
lower eastern part of China. Summers in the south-eastern part of
China are warm to very warm. Daytime temperatures are between 30 and
35 degrees Celsius on average. Temperatures are reasonably constant
without any peaks. Night time temperatures are high as well, minimum
temperatures hardly ever drop below 22-25 degrees Celsius. In
combination with high humidity figures summers are muggy. The monsoon
is also during the summer. During this rainy period large amounts of
rain fall, especially in the south easterly coastal areas. The wettest
areas can record 200-400 millimeters of precipitation per month during
the summer. These figures may even be higher during a tropical
depression or hurricane. During the hurricane season from June till
November several hurricanes may reach China. However, inconvenience is
mostly limited to the coastal areas because hurricanes lose strength
when they make landfall. The lower eastern parts of China regularly
flood during the summer caused by heavy rainfall in a short period of
time. There are often more casualties and there is more damage caused
by these floods here than in America and the Caribbean. However, China
gets far less media interest and aid from the west.
Climate figures
The figures below are for Shanghai and cannot be seen as an
average for the country. Because the climate in China is so diverse
please, visit the individual climate pages for figures on other places
and regions in China.
More climate information
Climate tables are useful but they don’t give an overall picture of
the climate and possible weather conditions during a period of time.
How high the chances are of hot or cold weather or hurricanes can
often not be found in these tables. This is why we offer extra climate
information per month. The information below is an average for
Shanghai, situated on the west coast of China. Because the climate in
China is so diverse please, visit the individual climate pages for
figures on other places and regions in China
Disclaimer
The information at this site was carefully composed from climate data collected by meteorological services, meteorological offices, climate experts and other sources. “More climate info” is based on statistics, climate data and personal experience. No rights can be derived from this site. Weather has no memory and gives no guaranties. Nothing is as changeable and unpredictable as the weather. The authors of this site feel in no way responsible for any damages caused by misinterpretation or other circumstances that may influence your holiday or trip to a certain destination. We provide information, it’s up to the reader to use it to it’s benefit.
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= 0-5 mm ●
= 6-30 mm ●
= 31-60 mm ●
= 61-100 mm ●
= 101-200 mm ●
=
over 200 mm
