Located at 41°N and 116°E on the inland plain of northern China, Beijing is just about affected by monsoon circulation, giving it a typical semi-humid continental monsoon climate with humid summers and cold, dry winters.
The hottest month is July, and January is the coldest. The rainy summer season is June, July, and August. Beijing has four well-defined typical seasons. In general, Beijing's spring temperatures are very changeable day-to-day and month-to-month.
Summer is hot, humid, and rainy with moderate to heavy thundery showers. Autumn is sunny and less rainy with comfortable and pleasant weather. Winter is cold and dry, windy but with little snow.
At the same latitude as New York, Beijing has similar weather but is colder in the winter.
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Monthly Temperatures in Beijing
Beijing's record minimum temperature was -27°C (-17°F) one February, and the record maximum was 42°C (107°F) in July, but the average annual range is -7°C (19°F) to 32°C (89°F).
Spring (March to May) has frequently changing temperature during the day, the temperature can be 15°C (59°F) or more in the daytime but can fall to 2°C (36°F) or even lower at night.
It is common to wear just a shirt in the daytime but needs a winter coat in the evening. As hot and cold climates alternate, take care not to catch a cold.
| Month | Average Low | Average High |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | -6℃ (21℉) | 4℃ (39℉) |
| Feb | -4℃ (25℉) | 6℃ (43℉) |
| Mar | 2℃ (36℉) | 15℃ (59℉) |
| Apr | 9℃ (48℉) | 21℃ (70℉) |
| May | 15℃ (59℉) | 26℃ (79℉) |
| Jun | 22℃ (72℉) | 32℃ (90℉) |
| Jul | 22℃ (72℉) | 30℃ (86℉) |
| Aug | 22℃ (72℉) | 30℃ (86℉) |
| Sep | 16℃ (61℉) | 27℃ (81℉) |
| Oct | 7℃ (45℉) | 19℃ (66℉) |
| Nov | 1℃ (34℉) | 11℃ (52℉) |
| Dec | -7℃ (19℉) | 3℃ (37℉) |
Rainfall/Snowfall in Beijing
The low annual precipitation of Beijing is 500–600 mm (20–24 inches), which mainly falls in summer, especially in July and August. In Summer, it tends to rain 10–14 days per month.
In the three months of summer (June to August), there are large amounts of rainfall in summer. Heat-driven weather systems often result in rainstorms, hail, and thunderstorms.
However, summer rain typically comes as a heavy/moderate shower during the day, and it will not affect your daily schedule too much. There is practically no rain in winter, but a little snow.
Carrying an umbrella or raincoat is highly recommended in case of rain, especially if you are spending the day outdoors somewhere like the Great Wall.
It is not advised to arrange a tight schedule as there is a possibility of flight delays and cancellations due to thunderstorms, or typhoons.
| Month | Rain/Snow | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| (mm) | (in) | Days | |
| Jan | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Feb | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Mar | 8 | 0 | 3 |
| Apr | 21 | 1 | 4 |
| May | 34 | 1 | 6 |
| Jun | 78 | 3 | 10 |
| Jul | 185 | 7 | 14 |
| Aug | 160 | 6 | 12 |
| Sep | 46 | 2 | 8 |
| Oct | 22 | 1 | 5 |
| Nov | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| Dec | 3 | 0 | 2 |
Humidity in Beijing
Humidity, the amount of water vapor in the air, is a key factor in your body's comfort when traveling. Generally speaking, people feel comfortable when the humidity is between 40% and 50%.
Beijing summer's weather is hot and humid and there are usually more than 50 days with an average high temperature above 37°C (90°F), and sometimes temperatures can exceed 40°C (104°F) because of the high humidity in the air.
At over 50%, you will feel hot and sticky. This occurs from July to September in Beijing. Otherwise, Beijing is dry to comfortable.
| Month | Humidity |
|---|---|
| Jan | 30% |
| Feb | 30% |
| Mar | 35% |
| Apr | 35% |
| May | 35% |
| Jun | 45% |
| Jul | 60% |
| Aug | 70% |
| Sep | 60% |
| Oct | 50% |
| Nov | 45% |
| Dec | 40% |
Air Quality in Beijing
Beijing has been badly affected by smog, especially in winter, in recent years. Smog often accumulates in late December and early January due to weak winds in this period. It is suggested to wear a mask if severe smog occurs.
In addition, the dust clouds (loess soil from the Gobi) also have an impact on air quality which comes in April. It can be as tall as 4,000–5,000 m (13–16,000 ft) high and sometimes reach an altitude of over 7,000 m (23,000 ft).
It is suggested to prepare a mask/scarf as well as a hat or cap in case of a dust storm.
With last year's (2020's) improvement in air quality, the AQI in Beijing was better, but the PM2.5 content (the key polluting factor in the air, i.e. smaller particles) particularly was still moderate to unhealthy.
The table below shows AQI data for 2020.
- AQI guide: 0–50 excellent, 51–100 good, 101–150 lightly polluted
- PM2.5 unit: μg/m3
| Month | AQI | PM2.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80 | 58 |
| Feb | 85 | 60 |
| Mar | 60 | 35 |
| Apr | 60 | 30 |
| May | 65 | 35 |
| Jun | 60 | 30 |
| Jul | 65 | 40 |
| Aug | 50 | 30 |
| Sep | 40 | 20 |
| Oct | 70 | 40 |
| Nov | 60 | 35 |
| Dec | 50 | 25 |
The Best Times to Visit Beijing
In terms of weather September to October is the best time to visit Beijing because of the pleasant average temperatures. The second-best time is April to May as you are most likely to experience sunny days.
Based on our experience, the end of March and the first 10 days of November can be some of the best days to visit Beijing, when there is often pleasant weather that is neither too hot nor too cold.
July is the wettest month. This month should be avoided if you are not a big fan of rain. July and August are summer vacation months in China, which will bring in big tourist crowds.
December and January are the driest and coldest months and also the least crowded and pricy months.
Our well-designed tour plans cover the highlights of Beijing in ways that experience and customer feedback shows are best. They can all be customized to your interests and travel style.
>>Continuous read Best Time to Visit Beijing
- 1-Day Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Tour
- 1-Day Jiankou to Mutianyu Great Wall Hiking Tour
- 4-Day Emperor's Tour of Beijing
- 6-Day Beijing Winter Tour with Skiing in a 2022 Olympic Winter Games Cluster
Beijing Weather Info by Month
- Beijing Weather in March
- Beijing Weather in April
- Beijing Weather in May
- Beijing Weather in June
- Beijing Weather in July
- Beijing Weather in August
- Beijing Weather in September
- Beijing Weather in October
- Beijing Weather in November
- Beijing Weather in December
- Beijing Weather in January
- Beijing Weather in February
