Best time to visit Shanghai
The best time to visit Shanghai is April–May and October, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Shanghai, Shanghai, 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 | 8.8 °C / 48 °F | 2.8 °C / 37 °F | 51 mm / 2 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 10.1 °C / 50 °F | 4.1 °C / 39 °F | 63 mm / 2.5 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 15 °C / 59 °F | 7.9 °C / 46 °F | 83 mm / 3.3 in | good month |
| April | 20.1 °C / 68 °F | 12.6 °C / 55 °F | 98 mm / 3.9 in | best month |
| May | 24.9 °C / 77 °F | 17.8 °C / 64 °F | 115 mm / 4.5 in | best month |
| June | 27.5 °C / 82 °F | 22.2 °C / 72 °F | 259 mm / 10.2 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 32.2 °C / 90 °F | 26.7 °C / 80 °F | 176 mm / 6.9 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 32.2 °C / 90 °F | 26.9 °C / 80 °F | 120 mm / 4.7 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 28 °C / 82 °F | 23 °C / 73 °F | 131 mm / 5.1 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 23.3 °C / 74 °F | 17.7 °C / 64 °F | 61 mm / 2.4 in | best month |
| November | 17.8 °C / 64 °F | 11.6 °C / 53 °F | 60 mm / 2.4 in | good month |
| December | 11.2 °C / 52 °F | 4.7 °C / 40 °F | 37 mm / 1.4 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: best
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April–May, October
- Good
- March, November
Spring (April-May) and October are best for exploring on foot, mild and mostly dry with decent sun, while June-September turn hot, muggy and prone to heavy afternoon downpours, and December-February are cold and dull.
Why these months
March · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 63%, precipitation 83 mm / 3.3 in, feels like (high) 12.9 °C / 55 °F, average daily high 15 °C / 59 °F, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, average daily low 7.9 °C / 46 °F, relative humidity 72%.
Against: wet days 10.3 days.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 19.5 °C / 67 °F, average daily high 20.1 °C / 68 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 64%, precipitation 98 mm / 3.9 in, average daily low 12.6 °C / 55 °F, relative humidity 72%.
Against: days with heavy rain 3.4 days, wet days 9.8 days.
Also on: Chinese Grand Prix (Formula One).
Watch out for: Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qingming).
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 26 °C / 79 °F, average daily high 24.9 °C / 77 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 64%, precipitation 115 mm / 4.5 in, average daily low 17.8 °C / 64 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Against: days with heavy rain 3.8 days, wet days 9.8 days.
Also on: Dragon Boat Festival.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.3 °C / 74 °F, average daily high 23.3 °C / 74 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 69%, precipitation 61 mm / 2.4 in, wet days 6.6 days, days with heavy rain 1.7 days, average daily low 17.7 °C / 64 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Also on: Hairy crab season, Mid-Autumn Festival.
Watch out for: National Day Golden Week.
November · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 16 °C / 61 °F, precipitation 60 mm / 2.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 63%, average daily high 17.8 °C / 64 °F, days with heavy rain 1.7 days, wet days 7.8 days, average daily low 11.6 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Against: sunshine per day 6.6 h.
Also on: Hairy crab season.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Muju, 780 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) | 5 °C | 6.8 °C | 12.9 °C | 19.5 °C | 26 °C | 31.1 °C | 37.9 °C | 37.7 °C | 31 °C | 23.3 °C | 16 °C | 7.7 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.4 days | 1.8 days | 2.5 days | 3.4 days | 3.8 days | 7.5 days | 5.4 days | 3.6 days | 3.9 days | 1.7 days | 1.7 days | 1.1 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 3 pm | 11 pm | 6 am | 4 am | 8 am | 10 am | 1 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 3 am | 3 am |
| Sunshine per day | 6.5 h | 6.1 h | 7.6 h | 8.3 h | 8.8 h | 7.4 h | 9.5 h | 10.1 h | 8.2 h | 7.8 h | 6.6 h | 7.1 h |
| Relative humidity | 72% | 74% | 72% | 72% | 74% | 82% | 80% | 79% | 79% | 74% | 74% | 70% |
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 | 76.8 µg/m³ | 52 µg/m³ | 48.8 µg/m³ | 41.7 µg/m³ | 37.8 µg/m³ | 48.5 µg/m³ | 43.9 µg/m³ | 49.2 µg/m³ | 34.8 µg/m³ | 31.5 µg/m³ | 46.2 µg/m³ | 72.9 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 149.9 µg/m³ | 98.1 µg/m³ | 87.3 µg/m³ | 72.4 µg/m³ | 67.4 µg/m³ | 101.5 µg/m³ | 107.6 µg/m³ | 116.1 µg/m³ | 67.6 µg/m³ | 57.2 µg/m³ | 85.5 µg/m³ | 147.6 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
- Chinese Grand Prix (Formula One)
April, dates vary from year to year
- Dragon Boat Festival
May and June, dates vary from year to year
- Shanghai International Film Festival
June, dates vary from year to year
- Mid-Autumn Festival
September and October, dates vary from year to year
- Hairy crab season
October, November and December
Worth knowing before you go
- Chinese New Year pickpocket risk
January and February, dates vary from year to year
- Chinese New Year travel rush (Spring Festival Golden Week)
January and February, dates vary from year to year
- Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qingming)
4–6 April, dates vary from year to year
- National Day Golden Week
1–7 October