Shanghai, China Climate & Monthly Averages
Shanghai has a humid subtropical climate. August is the hottest month, averaging 90° by day; January is the coldest at 49°.
Shanghai's climate is a story of contrasts
Shanghai runs one of the wider annual swings in our dataset: 23°C separates the average August from the average January. Afternoons reach 90°F (32°C) at the peak of summer and 49°F (9°C) at the depth of winter, with 138 days of measurable precipitation through the year.
August
90° by day 78° at nightJanuary
49° by day 35° at nightThe two ends of the year
January sits at the other end of the year: 49°F (9°C) by day, 35°F (2°C) at night. August is the warm end of the year, averaging 90°F (32°C) by day and 78°F (26°C) overnight. Between the average August and the average January lie 23°C, a wider spread than roughly 75% of the cities we track.
Precipitation concentrates in June - 10.6 inches (269 mm) on 17 days - and thins out by December. Sunshine averages 7.3 hours a day over the year - duller than all but 4% of the 3496 cities in our dataset, peaking in August at 10.1 hours. Three of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is April through May. Snowfall is rare but not unheard of.
Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 104°F (40°C) and the lowest daily minimum 16°F (-9°C).
More climate facts for Shanghai
- Hottest month: August - highs near 90°F (32°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 49°F (9°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 104°F (40°C) high · 16°F (-9°C) low
- Wettest month: June (17 rainy days) · Sunniest: August (10.1 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 23°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 8°C
- Snow: about 1 days a year
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 2
- Average humidity: 78%
Four distinct parts of the year in Shanghai
Spring (March through May)
Through spring, Shanghai brings comfortable warmth: 68°F (20°C) by day, 53°F (12°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 32 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Shanghai is hot, with daytime highs averaging 87°F (30°C) and nights around 75°F (24°C); rain falls on around 50 of the 90 days. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Shanghai brings comfortable warmth: 73°F (23°C) by day, 61°F (16°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 31 of the 90 days.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Shanghai is brisk and cold, with daytime highs averaging 51°F (10°C) and nights around 37°F (3°C); expect showers on roughly 25 days across the season.
Shanghai temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
Choosing a season in Shanghai
Best time to visit Shanghai
Aim for March to May and October to November if you get the choice: warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up, and highs average 69°F (20°C) against roughly 10 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in March.
What to pack
Pack for Shanghai with lightweight, breathable clothing and serious sun protection, a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season, a compact umbrella or rain shell and moisture-wicking fabrics for the humidity. August nights average 78°F (26°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49° | 35° | 8 | 2.7 in | 5.8 h/day | 10.3 h | 26% | 75% |
| February | 51° | 37° | 10 | 2.7 in | 5.9 h/day | 11.0 h | 34% | 75% |
| March | 60° | 44° | 11 | 3.2 in | 7.0 h/day | 11.9 h | 35% | 76% |
| April | 69° | 53° | 10 | 4.0 in | 7.6 h/day | 12.9 h | 34% | 76% |
| May | 77° | 62° | 11 | 5.3 in | 7.9 h/day | 13.7 h | 36% | 77% |
| June | 82° | 70° | 17 | 10.6 in | 6.7 h/day | 14.2 h | 56% | 83% |
| July | 89° | 78° | 18 | 9.0 in | 9.0 h/day | 14.0 h | 59% | 83% |
| August | 90° | 78° | 14 | 5.7 in | 10.1 h/day | 13.3 h | 47% | 80% |
| September | 82° | 71° | 13 | 7.0 in | 7.9 h/day | 12.3 h | 45% | 81% |
| October | 73° | 61° | 8 | 3.1 in | 7.0 h/day | 11.3 h | 26% | 76% |
| November | 64° | 51° | 9 | 3.1 in | 6.1 h/day | 10.5 h | 31% | 77% |
| December | 52° | 38° | 7 | 1.8 in | 6.4 h/day | 10.1 h | 23% | 73% |
Shanghai from the coldest month to the hottest
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Shanghai's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 5.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.3 h
February
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 5.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.0 h
March
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 7.0 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.9 h
May
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 7.9 h
- Daylight
- 13.7 h
June
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 14.2 h
July
- Rain
- 18 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 14.0 h
August
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 13.3 h
September
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 7.9 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
October
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 7.0 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
November
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 6.1 h
- Daylight
- 10.5 h
December
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 6.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.1 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Shanghai's coolest part of the year: January, February, December.
Where Shanghai sits among other climates
- Shanghai sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 63°F (17°C) as an annual average, 58.1 inches (1477 mm) of precipitation and 7.3 hours of sun a day.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.