Summer in China – Weather & Tour Tips

When is the summer in China?

The summer season in China starts from June to August every year with slightly difference in the north and south.
 

What is the weather like in China in summer?

The summer time in China is characterized by abundant rainfalls, high temperature, occasional typhoon days, and small temperature difference between day and night. The average summer temperature in China is 18-28°C (65-82°F).  

Average Low Temperature: 18°C / 65°F
Average High Temperature: 28°C / 82°F
Average Rainfall: 305mm
Average Rainy Days: 21 Days
The coldest cities in China in summer: Hohhot: 13°C (55°F) 
The hottest cities in China in summer: Chongqing: 34°C (93 °F)
 

Summer Temperatures of Major Chinese Cities

June July August
Beijing 19- 30°C / 66 - 86°F 22 - 31°C / 72 - 88°F 21 - 30°C / 70 - 86°F
Xi'an 19 - 31°C / 66 - 88°F 22 - 32°C / 72 - 90°F 21 - 31°C / 70 - 88°F
Shanghai 20 - 27°C / 68 - 81°F 25 - 32°C / 77 - 90°F 25 - 32°C / 77 - 90°F
Guilin 23 - 30°C / 73 - 86°F 25 - 33°C / 77 - 91°F 25 - 33°C / 77 - 91°F
Guangzhou 25 - 32°C / 77 - 90°F 26 - 33°C / 79 - 91°F 25 - 33°C / 77 - 91°F
Hong Kong 27 - 30°C / 81 - 86°F 27 - 32°C / 81 - 90°F 26 - 31°C / 79 - 88°F
Chengdu 21 - 28°C / 70 - 82°F 22 - 30°C / 72 - 86°F 22 - 30°C / 72 - 86°F
Hangzhou 21 - 29°C / 70 - 84°F 25 - 33°C / 77 - 91°F 25 - 32°C / 77 - 90°F
Suzhou 20 - 27°C / 68 - 81°F 25 - 32°C / 77 - 90°F 25 - 32°C / 77 - 90°F
Lhasa 10 - 23°C / 50 - 73°F 10 - 23°C / 50 - 73°F 10 - 21°C / 50 - 70°F
 

What should I wear?

Based on the hot summer weather in China, you are advised to wear thin and breathable summer clothes like T-shirts, short pants, skirts and sandals. In rainy days and typhoon weather, it is suggested to wear long-sleeved clothes in order to deal with the temperature drop. In fact, the summer temperature is different in northern China and southern China. You need to pay attention to the regional weather differences and weather forecast to prepare the suitable clothes.  
China Clothes in Summer Summer Wear in China
 

Where can I go & what can I do? – Top Summer Destinations

During summer months in China, the beautiful natural scenery always attracts numerous tourists all over the world. You can make full use of time to join in Li River cruise and Yangtze River cruise to get close to water and amazing natural scenery. From June to August, it is also a good time to tour around grasslands in Inner Mongolia, where are much cooler than other places in China and the grand Nadam Fairs are held. Xinjiang, in northwest China with relatively lower temperature, is a good destination to escape from the summer heat. 
  
Further Reading: 
 6 Best Destinations in June in China
 Top 6 July Getaways in China
 7 Best August Destinations in China
 

Why Travel to China in Summer

Although China in summer is hot, it is the peak tourist season in the whole year. There are several reasons for this: 
1. Generally speaking, summer has a relatively longer daytime, therefore the opening hours of popular scenic areas will be longer. In this way, there are sufficient time for sightseeing. 
2. Visitors can enjoy more interesting night activities such as watching outdoor performances, strolling around night markets and spending leisure time at bars. 
3. Travel to China in summer, your luggage will be smaller and lighter benefiting from the thin clothes, which brings a lot of convenience during the trip. 
4. In addition, one of the advantage of summer travel is that you can enjoy various water activities like swimming, rafting and having fun in water parks.
 

China Summer Travel Tips & Special Precautions

1. Book flight/train tickets and accommodation in advance because summer is the peak travel season and students’ summer holiday in China.
2. Prepare sun-proof products like sunglasses, sunscreen and sun cream to prevent sunburn because the sunlight during this period of time is the strongest.
3. Avoid traveling and joining in outdoor activities during typhoon and thunderstorm weather. 
4. Bring mosquito repellent to prevent mosquito bite in mountainous areas.
5. Pay attention to the weather change and add warm clothes in time.
6. Don’t eat too much raw and cold food in case of diarrhea and stomachache. 
- Last updated on Dec. 14, 2022 -