In Chongqing (or Chungking), a great metropolis of south-central China, the climate is
, with fairly mild but cloudy winters and hot and muggy summers.
A city with a millennia-old history, Chongqing is today a megalopolis, polluted as often happens in big cities of China. It once belonged to Sichuan, while today it is administered directly by the central government. It is located at 29 degrees north latitude and at an altitude of 250 meters (820 feet), at the meeting point between the Jialing and Yangtze rivers.
Because of its position in a plain far from the sea and surrounded by mountains, it is
in summer, actually it is one of the hottest cities in China, while in the other seasons (but also on summer nights), it is often cloudy and foggy.
amounts to 1,100 mm (43 in) per year, with a maximum between late spring and early summer, when it occurs in the form of showers and thunderstorms (often at night), and a minimum in winter, when it is very weak, though quite frequent.
, from December to February, is quite mild, in fact, the average January temperature is 8 °C (46.5 °F). However, there may be cold periods, with maximum temperatures around 5 °C (41 °F), and sometimes even snowfalls. In any case, the sky is often cloudy.
, from March to May, is initially mild, and becomes gradually warmer but also rainier. In May, there are already some warm and summer-like days, at least as regards to the temperature.
, from June to September, is hot and muggy. The distance from the sea and the humidity make the heat annoying, especially in July and August. However, July and August are also the (relatively) sunniest months of the year.
There can be oppressive periods, especially in July and August, with highs around 38/40 °C (100/104 °F) and tropical nights. In August 2006, the temperature reached 43 °C (109.5 °F), and there have been 13 days with highs equal to or higher than 40 °C (104 °F). In August 2022, the temperature reached 43.7 °C (110.7 °F), and the average maximum was even 40.2 °C (104.4 °F).
, in October and November, is generally mild, and gradually becomes cooler, and then quite cold at night by November. The rains gradually decrease, but the sun becomes less and less frequent.
in Chongqing is very poor: the only months when the sunshine hours exceed 40% (but they still remain below 50%) are July and August, while from November to February, the sun is almost never seen. With less than 1,000 hours of sunshine per year, Chongqing is one of the least sunny cities in China and all of Asia.
The best times to visit Chongqing are spring and autumn, in particular, from mid-March to mid-May and from mid-September to mid-November.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of
7.8 °C, with a minimum of
5.2 °C and a maximum of
10.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
1 °C. However, it dropped to
-2 °C in January 2016.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
15 °C. However, it reached
18 °C in January 2015.
Precipitation amounts to
20 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 0.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 6% of the time.
The average humidity is 81%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
5.6 kph.
February is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
10.3 °C, with a minimum of
7.2 °C and a maximum of
13.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3 °C. However, it dropped to
1 °C in February 2011.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20 °C. However, it reached
24.5 °C in February 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
25 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 1 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 9% of the time.
The average humidity is 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
6 kph.
March is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
14.4 °C, with a minimum of
10.7 °C and a maximum of
18.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
5.5 °C. However, it dropped to
1.9 °C in March 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
27 °C. However, it reached
33.8 °C in March 2003.
Precipitation amounts to
45 mm, distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 2 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 17% of the time.
The average humidity is 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
6.9 kph.
April is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
19.3 °C, with a minimum of
15.1 °C and a maximum of
23.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
10 °C. However, it dropped to
5.9 °C in April 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
32.5 °C. However, it reached
36.4 °C in April 2004.
Precipitation amounts to
95 mm, distributed over 14 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 3 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 24% of the time.
The average humidity is 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
7 kph.
May is generally a warm to hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
22.7 °C, with a minimum of
18.6 °C and a maximum of
26.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
14.5 °C. However, it dropped to
10.8 °C in May 1991.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
35 °C. However, it reached
38.9 °C in May 2011.
Precipitation amounts to
145 mm, distributed over 16 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 26% of the time.
The average humidity is 74%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
7 kph.
June is generally a warm to hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
25.5 °C, with a minimum of
21.7 °C and a maximum of
29.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
18.5 °C. However, it dropped to
15.6 °C in June 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36.5 °C. However, it reached
39.8 °C in June 2013.
Precipitation amounts to
195 mm, distributed over 16 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 0 minutes. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 23% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
6.4 kph.
July is generally a very hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
29 °C, with a minimum of
24.6 °C and a maximum of
33.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
21 °C. However, it dropped to
19 °C in July 2015.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
39 °C. However, it reached
41.4 °C in July 2017.
Precipitation amounts to
185 mm, distributed over 13 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 37% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
7 kph.
August, the hottest month of the year, is generally a very hot month. The average temperature is of
29 °C, with a minimum of
24.5 °C and a maximum of
33.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
20 °C. However, it dropped to
18 °C in August 2005.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
39.5 °C. However, it reached
43 °C in August 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
135 mm, distributed over 11 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 41% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is of
7.1 kph.
September is generally a warm to hot, muggy month. The average temperature is of
24.4 °C, with a minimum of
20.7 °C and a maximum of
28.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
16.5 °C. However, it dropped to
13 °C in September 2004.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36.5 °C. However, it reached
42 °C in September 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
105 mm, distributed over 13 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 20 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 29% of the time.
The average humidity is 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
6.7 kph.
October is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
18.8 °C, with a minimum of
16 °C and a maximum of
21.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
12 °C. However, it dropped to
10 °C in October 2010.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
30 °C. However, it reached
35.1 °C in October 1999.
Precipitation amounts to
85 mm, distributed over 16 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 1.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 14% of the time.
The average humidity is 82%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
5.7 kph.
November is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
14.4 °C, with a minimum of
11.5 °C and a maximum of
17.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
7 °C. However, it dropped to
3 °C in November 2009.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
23.5 °C. However, it reached
29.6 °C in November 2003.
Precipitation amounts to
50 mm, distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 1 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 11% of the time.
The average humidity is 82%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
5.6 kph.
December is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
9.1 °C, with a minimum of
6.7 °C and a maximum of
11.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
2 °C. However, it dropped to
-2 °C in December 2010.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
16 °C. However, it reached
19.4 °C in December 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
25 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 20 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 0.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 6% of the time.
The average humidity is 83%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
5.4 kph.