Best time to visit Beijing
The best time to visit Beijing is April and October, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Beijing, Beijing, China
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.1 °C / 36 °F | -8.4 °C / 17 °F | 2 mm / 0.1 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 5.6 °C / 42 °F | -5.4 °C / 22 °F | 6 mm / 0.2 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 13.9 °C / 57 °F | 0.8 °C / 33 °F | 10 mm / 0.4 in | good month |
| April | 21.9 °C / 71 °F | 8.6 °C / 47 °F | 19 mm / 0.7 in | best month |
| May | 28.9 °C / 84 °F | 15.2 °C / 59 °F | 30 mm / 1.2 in | good month |
| June | 32.8 °C / 91 °F | 20.5 °C / 69 °F | 60 mm / 2.4 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 32.5 °C / 91 °F | 23.2 °C / 74 °F | 176 mm / 6.9 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 31.2 °C / 88 °F | 21.8 °C / 71 °F | 120 mm / 4.7 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 27.4 °C / 81 °F | 16.1 °C / 61 °F | 55 mm / 2.2 in | good month |
| October | 19.9 °C / 68 °F | 8 °C / 46 °F | 31 mm / 1.2 in | best month |
| November | 10.8 °C / 51 °F | -0.6 °C / 31 °F | 16 mm / 0.6 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 3.3 °C / 38 °F | -6.6 °C / 20 °F | 2 mm / 0.1 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: good
- AApril: best
- MMay: good
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April, October
- Good
- March, May, September
Beijing is too cold in winter (Nov-Feb) and too hot, humid and monsoon-soaked in summer (Jun-Aug) for comfortable exploring; April and October are outstanding dry, mild windows, with March, May and September as solid shoulder months.
Why these months
March · good
In its favour: precipitation 10 mm / 0.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 84%, wet days 2.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily high 13.9 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 46%.
Against: feels like (high) 10.2 °C / 50 °F, average daily low 0.8 °C / 33 °F.
Watch out for: Spring dust storms from the Gobi Desert.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.8 °C / 66 °F, average daily high 21.9 °C / 71 °F, precipitation 19 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, wet days 3.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, relative humidity 41%, average daily low 8.6 °C / 47 °F.
Watch out for: Spring dust storms from the Gobi Desert, Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qingming Jie).
May · good
In its favour: precipitation 30 mm / 1.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, wet days 4.4 days, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, average daily low 15.2 °C / 59 °F, relative humidity 41%.
Against: average daily high 28.9 °C / 84 °F, feels like (high) 27.1 °C / 81 °F.
Also on: Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Jie).
Watch out for: Spring dust storms from the Gobi Desert.
September · good
In its favour: precipitation 55 mm / 2.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, wet days 6.2 days, average daily low 16.1 °C / 61 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 28 °C / 82 °F, average daily high 27.4 °C / 81 °F, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, relative humidity 66%.
Also on: Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival).
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.6 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 19.9 °C / 68 °F, precipitation 31 mm / 1.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, wet days 4 days, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, relative humidity 59%, average daily low 8 °C / 46 °F.
Also on: Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival).
Watch out for: National Day Golden Week.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: best
- AApril: best
- MMay: good
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- March–April, October
- Good
- May, September, November
Hiking is best in Beijing's dry, cool shoulder windows: March, April and October are ideal, May, September and November are good but run a little warm or cool, and summer's heat, humidity and monsoon rain (Jun-Aug) plus deep winter cold (Dec-Feb) rule out the rest of the year.
Why these months
March · best
In its favour: average daily high 13.9 °C / 57 °F, precipitation 10 mm / 0.4 in, wet days 2.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 84%, daylight per day 12 h, feels like (high) 10.2 °C / 50 °F, average daily low 0.8 °C / 33 °F, wind (daily max) 15 km/h / 9 mph.
Watch out for: Spring dust storms from the Gobi Desert.
April · best
In its favour: average daily high 21.9 °C / 71 °F, precipitation 19 mm / 0.7 in, wet days 3.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, feels like (high) 18.8 °C / 66 °F, average daily low 8.6 °C / 47 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, daylight per day 13.3 h, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 10 mph.
Watch out for: Spring dust storms from the Gobi Desert, Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qingming Jie).
May · good
In its favour: precipitation 30 mm / 1.2 in, wet days 4.4 days, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, daylight per day 14.4 h, average daily low 15.2 °C / 59 °F, wind (daily max) 18 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: average daily high 28.9 °C / 84 °F, feels like (high) 27.1 °C / 81 °F.
Also on: Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Jie).
Watch out for: Spring dust storms from the Gobi Desert.
September · good
In its favour: precipitation 55 mm / 2.2 in, wet days 6.2 days, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, daylight per day 12.5 h, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 7 mph, average daily low 16.1 °C / 61 °F.
Against: average daily high 27.4 °C / 81 °F, feels like (high) 28 °C / 82 °F, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, relative humidity 66%.
Also on: Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival).
October · best
In its favour: average daily high 19.9 °C / 68 °F, precipitation 31 mm / 1.2 in, wet days 4 days, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, feels like (high) 17.6 °C / 64 °F, average daily low 8 °C / 46 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, daylight per day 11.2 h, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 8 mph.
Also on: Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival).
Watch out for: National Day Golden Week.
November · good
In its favour: precipitation 16 mm / 0.6 in, wet days 2 days, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, share of daylight that is sunny 81%, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 8 mph, average daily low -0.6 °C / 31 °F, daylight per day 10 h.
Against: feels like (high) 7 °C / 45 °F, average daily high 10.8 °C / 51 °F.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is 国家高山滑雪中心, Nationales Ski-Alpin-Zentrum Xiaohaituo, National Alpine Skiing Centre, centro nazionale di sci alpino Xiaohaituo, Национальный горнолыжный центр, 86 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -2.6 °C | 1.3 °C | 10.2 °C | 18.8 °C | 27.1 °C | 33.4 °C | 36.4 °C | 34.9 °C | 28 °C | 17.6 °C | 7 °C | -1.3 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.5 days | 0.8 days | 1.7 days | 5.5 days | 4.2 days | 1.8 days | 1.1 days | 0.6 days | 0 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 5 am | 8 am | 2 am | 12 am | 12 pm | 5 pm | 1 am | 2 am | 7 am | 6 am | 1 am | 4 am |
| Sunshine per day | 8.5 h | 9.2 h | 10.1 h | 10.5 h | 11 h | 10.9 h | 9.7 h | 9.9 h | 9.8 h | 8.5 h | 8.1 h | 8.1 h |
| Relative humidity | 46% | 47% | 46% | 41% | 41% | 51% | 70% | 73% | 66% | 59% | 56% | 49% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 109.6 µg/m³ | 95.3 µg/m³ | 70 µg/m³ | 48.7 µg/m³ | 50.8 µg/m³ | 50 µg/m³ | 61 µg/m³ | 72.1 µg/m³ | 74 µg/m³ | 82.4 µg/m³ | 98 µg/m³ | 105.5 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 219.9 µg/m³ | 188.2 µg/m³ | 134 µg/m³ | 83.1 µg/m³ | 80.5 µg/m³ | 82.1 µg/m³ | 98.2 µg/m³ | 120.4 µg/m³ | 123.5 µg/m³ | 143.2 µg/m³ | 187.7 µg/m³ | 212.9 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Valentine's Day restaurant specials
14 February
- Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Jie)
May and June, dates vary from year to year
- Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival)
September and October, dates vary from year to year
- Christmas decorations and atmosphere
December
Worth knowing before you go
- Chinese New Year Golden Week
January and February, dates vary from year to year
- Spring dust storms from the Gobi Desert
March, April and May
- Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qingming Jie)
4–6 April, dates vary from year to year
- National Day Golden Week
1–7 October
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Central Axis of Beijing
1 km away
- Temple of Heaven
3 km away
- Summer Palace
15 km away