China's climate varies from bitter coldness in winter to
unbearable heat in summer. The Yangtze River serves as China's
official dividing line between north and south. Given the
size and varied landscape of the country, there is no one
time in the year when Chinese weather is ideal. Of course,
the warmest areas in winter are to be found in the South and
Southwest, such as Sichuan, Banna in Yunnan, and Hainan Island.
In summer the coolest spots are in the far northeast.
China has a climate dominated by dry and wet monsoons, which
make clear temperature differences in winter and summer. In
winter, northern winds coming from high latitude areas are
cold and dry; in summer, southern winds from sea areas at
lower latitude are warm and moist. Besides, climates differ
from region to region because of the country's extensive territory
and complex topography. In the south of the Nanling Mountains,
rains are plenty and the temperature is high all year round.
In the Yangtze and Huaihe river valleys in the central part
of China, there are four distinctive seasons. In northeast
China, summer is short but there is much sunshine, while winter
is long and cold. Precipitation is limited in northwest China
where it is cold in winter and hot in summer. In southwest
China of low latitudes, the land is elevated high, and has
characteristically vertical seasonal zones.
There's not really an 'ideal' time to visit the country,
so use the following information as a rough guide to avoid
temperature extremes.
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North
Northern winters, from December to March, can be extremely
cold. Beijing generally experiences temperature of -20C, dry
and no sun. Further north, temperatures reaching -40C are
not uncommon, and you'll see the curious sight of sand dunes
covered in snow.
During the summer, from May to August, temperatures in Beijing
can hit 38C (100F), coinciding with the rainy season for the
city. The best time for visiting the north is spring and autumn.
Daytime temperatures range from 20C to 30C (68F to 86F) and
drop a lot at night. Precipitation is 6370cm (25-28 inches)
per year.
