China’s climate is too varied: summers in most parts of the country are extremely hot and humid, which can make travel even harder work than usual, and winters are generally bitterly cold.
The south, however, is subtropical, with wet, humid summers, when temperatures can approach 40℃, and a typhoon season on the southeast coast between July and September. Trough it is often still hot enough to swim in the sea in December, the short winters, from January to March, can be surprisingly chilly.
In summer, however, temperatures can be will over 30℃. In the far north, Inner Mongolia, winters are at test clear and dry, but temperatures remain way below zero, while summers can be uncomfortably warm. The Northwest gets hot in summer, but without the humidity of the rest of the country, and winters are bitter as anywhere else in northern China.
Overall, the best time to visit China is spring or autumn, when the weather is at its most comfortable temperate. In the spring, it’s best to start in the south and work north or west as summer approaches. In the autumn, start in the north and work south. If you can brave the cold, winters are considerably enlivened by the preparations for Chinese New Year, but during New Year itself, travlling can be extremely difficult as offices close and much of the population is on the move. |
