The climate of Chengdu is temperate, with relatively cold winters, and hot, muggy and rainy summers. The capital of the Sichuan Province, Chengdu is located in southwestern China, at a fairly low latitude (at the 30th parallel), but also in a vast continental zone, 1,100 kilometers (685 miles) away from the sea, 500 metres (1,650 feet) above sea level, and a short distance from the mountains, so in winter it is quite cold, while in summer it is not as hot as nearby Chongqing.
Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation amounts to 855 mm (34 in) per year; the only rainy season goes from May to September, while in the rest of the year the rains are light. In any case, the sky is often cloudy, even when it is not raining. Here is the average rainfall.

The winter, from December to February, is not very cold on average, in fact the average January temperature is 6 °C (43 °F). However, there may be cold periods, with temperatures remaining around 5 °C (41 °F) even during the day, and possibile light snowfalls. However, the sky is often cloudy.

The spring, from March to May, is initially mild, and becomes gradually warmer and rainier, with the first heat thunderstorms and the first summer-like days in May or sometimes already in April.

The summer, from June to mid-September, is hot and sultry, even if the peaks of other Chinese cities are not reached. However, there can be very hot periods, especially in July and August, with highs around 36/37 °C (97/99 °F), and tropical nights. Rainfall occurs in the form of showers or thunderstorm, but the sky can be cloudy even when it doesn't rain.

The autumn, from mid-September to November, is initially mild, and gradually becomes cooler, and then quite cold at night from November. After the last summer thunderstorms of September, the rains become weak.



The amount of sunshine in Chengdu is poor or insufficient for most of the year; however, the relatively sunniest period runs from April to August, with a peak precisely in August.

When to go

The best times to visit Chengdu are spring and autumn, especially from late March to mid-May, and from mid-September to early November.
Those who can stand the heat can also choose the summer.