China weather
Loading live data…Latest for China: European (ECMWF): 19° Light rain · American (NOAA GFS): 19° Drizzle · German (DWD ICON): 19° Light rain.
The weather map: all three models at once
European, American, German side by side around China and nearby towns.Live rain radar →Hourly forecast: next 14 hours
consensus of the three modelsRain in the next 24 hours, model by model
each model's own hourly precipitation, side by sideLoading the three models…
10-day forecast, out to 14 days
where the models agree, and where they splitHeading to China? China, China, sits at 31.2°N in a subtropical climate zone. The averages on this page are measured at Shanghai, the main gateway for AU travellers; inland and mountain areas run cooler. Before you lock in outdoor plans, compare how the three global models - European (ECMWF), American (GFS) and German (ICON) - forecast China right now. Where they agree you can trust it; the days they split are exactly when a single weather app is least reliable. For a city break, the rain hours below tell you which days to plan indoors.
Where to go in China
We cover one destination in China, each with its own live three-model comparison and long-run averages. The table shows the typical daytime high in January and July and the wettest month, so you can see how much the coast, the cities and the islands differ before you pick dates.
Best time to visit China
The most comfortable time to visit China is usually April, May, October and November, when daytime highs sit in the pleasant 16-26°C range and the heaviest August rain is behind you.
China weather by month
what to expect in China through the year, 1991-2020 normals, Shanghai Baoshan (WMO)Here is China's typical weather in each month: the average daytime high and overnight low in °C, how each month feels, and the wettest month marked. Use it to plan any trip to China by season.
China compared with Sydney
30-year averages: daytime highs month by month, rain and sunlightCooler through the year
average daytime high: China 21°C, Sydney 23°C
Rain over a year
China 1,236 mm, Sydney 1,148 mm
Sunlight vs a clear sky
solar energy reaching the ground as a share of a cloudless day, averaged over the year (not sunshine hours)
On 30-year averages China runs 2°C cooler than Sydney, with every month between −19°C and +14°C. Over a year it gets 8% more rain than Sydney.
Month by month in numbers
| Month | China | Sydney | Difference | Sunlight, China | Sunlight, Sydney |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8°C | 27°C | −19°C | 67% | 75% |
| February | 10°C | 28°C | −18°C | 64% | 73% |
| March | 14°C | 26°C | −12°C | 70% | 75% |
| April | 20°C | 24°C | −4°C | 70% | 77% |
| May | 25°C | 22°C | +3°C | 68% | 79% |
| June | 28°C | 18°C | +10°C | 60% | 74% |
| July | 32°C | 18°C | +14°C | 72% | 80% |
| August | 32°C | 20°C | +12°C | 74% | 82% |
| September | 28°C | 22°C | +6°C | 69% | 82% |
| October | 23°C | 24°C | −1°C | 73% | 77% |
| November | 18°C | 25°C | −7°C | 71% | 74% |
| December | 11°C | 27°C | −16°C | 72% | 74% |
Daytime highs and lows on this page are 1991-2020 averages. China: station normals from Shanghai Baoshan (WMO), rain included. Sydney: station normals from Sydney Observatory Hill (WMO), rain included. Sunlight vs a clear sky is NASA POWER's long-term average of the solar energy reaching the ground as a share of a cloudless day; it compares cloudiness and is not a count of sunshine hours. Sydney stands in for Australia here; other cities have their own climate tables.