Best time to visit Shangri-La
Month-by-month weather averages for Shangri-La.
Shangri-La, Yunnan, 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 | 2.4 °C / 36 °F | -8.9 °C / 16 °F | 28 mm / 1.1 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 2.8 °C / 37 °F | -7.7 °C / 18 °F | 40 mm / 1.6 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 6 °C / 43 °F | -3.8 °C / 25 °F | 44 mm / 1.7 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 9.9 °C / 50 °F | 0.6 °C / 33 °F | 69 mm / 2.7 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 14.1 °C / 57 °F | 5.2 °C / 41 °F | 97 mm / 3.8 in | neither best nor good |
| June | 17.2 °C / 63 °F | 9.3 °C / 49 °F | 151 mm / 5.9 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 17.2 °C / 63 °F | 10.1 °C / 50 °F | 242 mm / 9.5 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 17.3 °C / 63 °F | 9.5 °C / 49 °F | 240 mm / 9.4 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 15.9 °C / 61 °F | 8.4 °C / 47 °F | 146 mm / 5.7 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 12.9 °C / 55 °F | 3.6 °C / 38 °F | 71 mm / 2.8 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 8.5 °C / 47 °F | -2.8 °C / 27 °F | 21 mm / 0.8 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 5 °C / 41 °F | -5.8 °C / 22 °F | 9 mm / 0.3 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: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
No month is good for this in Shangri-La.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: best
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May, October
- Good
- April, September, November
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: precipitation 69 mm / 2.7 in, average daily high 9.9 °C / 50 °F, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 81%, daylight per day 12.8 h, feels like (high) 7.8 °C / 46 °F, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph, average daily low 0.6 °C / 33 °F.
Against: wet days 15.8 days.
May · best
In its favour: average daily high 14.1 °C / 57 °F, precipitation 97 mm / 3.8 in, days with heavy rain 2.3 days, feels like (high) 12.5 °C / 55 °F, average daily low 5.2 °C / 41 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, daylight per day 13.5 h, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 7 mph.
Against: wet days 17.1 days.
September · good
In its favour: average daily high 15.9 °C / 61 °F, feels like (high) 15 °C / 59 °F, average daily low 8.4 °C / 47 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 67%, daylight per day 12.3 h, days with heavy rain 3.8 days, wind (daily max) 9 km/h / 5 mph.
Against: wet days 22.9 days, precipitation 146 mm / 5.7 in.
October · best
In its favour: average daily high 12.9 °C / 55 °F, precipitation 71 mm / 2.8 in, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, feels like (high) 10.7 °C / 51 °F, average daily low 3.6 °C / 38 °F, daylight per day 11.5 h, wind (daily max) 10 km/h / 6 mph.
Against: wet days 13.2 days.
November · good
In its favour: precipitation 21 mm / 0.8 in, wet days 4.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.4 days, average daily high 8.5 °C / 47 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, daylight per day 10.8 h, wind (daily max) 11 km/h / 7 mph.
Against: average daily low -2.8 °C / 27 °F, feels like (high) 5 °C / 41 °F.
Skiing and snow
Wants cold and snowfall; sunshine barely matters.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: best
- AApril: good
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: good
- Best
- January–March
- Good
- April, November–December
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: snowfall 21 cm / 8.4 in, average daily high 2.4 °C / 36 °F, days with snow 11.1 days, average daily low -8.9 °C / 16 °F, wind (daily max) 11 km/h / 7 mph, daylight per day 10.6 h.
February · best
In its favour: snowfall 30 cm / 11.8 in, average daily high 2.8 °C / 37 °F, days with snow 13.9 days, average daily low -7.7 °C / 18 °F, wind (daily max) 11 km/h / 7 mph, daylight per day 11.2 h.
March · best
In its favour: snowfall 24 cm / 9.4 in, days with snow 15 days, average daily low -3.8 °C / 25 °F, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 8 mph, daylight per day 12 h.
Against: average daily high 6 °C / 43 °F.
April · good
In its favour: days with snow 9.1 days, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph, daylight per day 12.8 h.
Against: average daily high 9.9 °C / 50 °F, snowfall 17 cm / 6.6 in, average daily low 0.6 °C / 33 °F.
November · good
In its favour: average daily low -2.8 °C / 27 °F, wind (daily max) 11 km/h / 7 mph, daylight per day 10.8 h.
Against: snowfall 7 cm / 2.7 in, average daily high 8.5 °C / 47 °F, days with snow 4.8 days.
December · good
In its favour: average daily low -5.8 °C / 22 °F, days with snow 6.2 days, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 7 mph, daylight per day 10.4 h.
Against: snowfall 7 cm / 2.6 in, average daily high 5 °C / 41 °F.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Shangri-la, 19 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) | -1.5 °C | -0.5 °C | 3.4 °C | 7.8 °C | 12.5 °C | 16.5 °C | 17.2 °C | 17.3 °C | 15 °C | 10.7 °C | 5 °C | 0.9 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.6 days | 1.1 days | 0.5 days | 1.1 days | 2.3 days | 5.2 days | 9.1 days | 9.3 days | 3.8 days | 1.6 days | 0.4 days | 0.1 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 2 pm | 1 pm | 2 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 9.8 h | 10.1 h | 10.4 h | 10.4 h | 10.4 h | 9.1 h | 7.3 h | 8.2 h | 8.3 h | 9 h | 9.4 h | 9.6 h |
| Relative humidity | 72% | 76% | 77% | 76% | 75% | 78% | 83% | 82% | 82% | 77% | 70% | 69% |
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 | 4.9 µg/m³ | 5.5 µg/m³ | 6.7 µg/m³ | 7.5 µg/m³ | 5.5 µg/m³ | 4.8 µg/m³ | 4.3 µg/m³ | 5.2 µg/m³ | 4.1 µg/m³ | 2.9 µg/m³ | 2.9 µg/m³ | 3.3 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 8.9 µg/m³ | 12.1 µg/m³ | 13.8 µg/m³ | 13.8 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 8.1 µg/m³ | 9.1 µg/m³ | 7.2 µg/m³ | 5.4 µg/m³ | 5.2 µg/m³ | 6.1 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.