Shanghai weather by month
2006-2025, 20 years of records · Not a forecast
Shanghai is humid subtropical with four clear seasons. Spring and autumn are short and pleasant. From mid-June to early July comes the plum rain season, with long stretches of grey, drizzly weather. Heat follows, and typhoons can affect the city from July to September, though direct landfalls are rare. Winters feel colder than the numbers suggest because of the damp. The city lies south of the Qinling-Huaihe line, where district heating was never built, so check the heating when you book. The National Day holiday week in early October is crowded, so avoid it if you can.
On the record, May and October were the most forgiving months for visiting Shanghai, judged on warmth and rain together. The wet and dry seasons were distinct: rain days bottomed out in October, December and January (6) and peaked in June (11).
Each month in a line
| January | properly cold, occasional rain | 9° / 2° |
|---|---|---|
| February | chilly | 10° / 4° |
| March | crisp and chilly | 15° / 7° |
| April | cool | 20° / 12° |
| MayGood | comfortably warm | 25° / 18° |
| June | hot, frequent rain | 28° / 22° |
| July | seriously hot, frequent rain | 33° / 26° |
| August | very hot, occasional rain | 32° / 26° |
| September | properly hot | 28° / 23° |
| OctoberGood | comfortably warm, occasional rain | 23° / 17° |
| November | cool, occasional rain | 18° / 11° |
| December | crisp and chilly, rain here and there | 11° / 4° |
The 12 months in numbers
Seasons differ a lot. Highs climbed from 9°C in January to 33°C in July.
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Rainfall | Humidity | Clear days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9° | 2° | 6 days | 56mm | 72% | 9 days |
| February | 10° | 4° | 8 days | 62mm | 74% | 6 days |
| March | 15° | 7° | 9 days | 73mm | 72% | 7 days |
| April | 20° | 12° | 7 days | 73mm | 72% | 6 days |
| May | 25° | 18° | 7 days | 81mm | 74% | 5 days |
| June | 28° | 22° | 11 days | 186mm | 82% | 2 days |
| July | 33° | 26° | 10 days | 166mm | 80% | 5 days |
| August | 32° | 26° | 8 days | 156mm | 79% | 8 days |
| September | 28° | 23° | 9 days | 145mm | 79% | 6 days |
| October | 23° | 17° | 6 days | 71mm | 74% | 9 days |
| November | 18° | 11° | 7 days | 62mm | 74% | 9 days |
| December | 11° | 4° | 6 days | 39mm | 70% | 11 days |
Enter your dates to see how that stretch went in each of the past 20 years.
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Shanghai?
On the record, May and October were the most forgiving months for visiting Shanghai, judged on warmth and rain together. The wet and dry seasons were distinct: rain days bottomed out in October, December and January (6) and peaked in June (11).
Which month is driest in Shanghai?
October. Over 2006-2025 it averaged 6 rain days and 71 mm of rain.
Which month is warmest in Shanghai?
July, with highs averaging 33°C and lows 26°C. Seasons differ a lot. Highs climbed from 9°C in January to 33°C in July.