The climate of Qingdao (or Tsingtao) is slightly continental, with cold and dry winters, and hot and humid summers. The city is located in the Shandong province, in north-central China, at 35 ° north latitude, on the coast of the Yellow Sea. The mitigating effect of the sea is reduced because in winter cold currents prevail, coming from the interior of China and Mongolia, while in summer the monsoon brings warm and humid currents of tropical origin. However, here and in the other cities of the Shandong Peninsula (Yantai, Weihai), the climate is milder than in the inland areas and in Beijing, and especially the spring, when the sea keeps the cold accumulated during winter, is cooler.
Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation amounts to about 660 millimetres (26 inches) per year; owing to the monsoon, the rainiest season is summer, while the driest is winter. Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to February, is cold and dry: the average January temperature is -0.5 °C (31 °F), but sunny days are quite frequent. Precipitation is rare and not abundant, however, given the low temperatures, there may be some snowfalls, generally light. The cold wind from the north can bring cold waves, with minimum temperatures around -10 °C (14 °F) or below, as well as the dust of the Gobi Desert. On other occasions, especially in December and February, there may also be quite mild periods, with maximum temperatures around 10/12 °C (50/54 °F).

In spring, from March to May, the temperature increases, while rainy days become gradually more frequent. In March and April, the clash between air masses can cause sand storms; on the other hand, especially in April and May, in the days when the wind is weak, fog can form.

Summer, from June to August, is warm to hot; owing to the Asian monsoon, it is the rainiest season. In June, and sometimes even in July, there are still mild days, when fog can form. The amount of sunshine is fairly good, but considering the length of the days it is slightly lower than in the other seasons. Periods of good weather can be hot, with highs around 35 °C (95 °F), and high humidity. August is usually the hottest and the muggiest month.

Autumn, from September to November, is initially warm, and gradually becomes milder, and then quite cold in November, but sometimes it can get cold at night already in October. The rains gradually decrease and are rare enough by November.



The amount of sunshine in Qingdao is good all year round; however, in comparison to the length of the day it decreases slightly in late spring because of fog, and in summer because of the monsoon.

In Qingdao, the sea is very cold in winter, but it warms up a lot in summer, and is warm enough for swimming from July to September.

From July to early October (and occasionally also in the second half of June), Qingdao can be affected by typhoons, the tropical cyclones of South-East Asia.



About 20 km (12 mi) north-east of Qingdao we find Mount Lao (Lao Shan), 1,133 meters (3,716 ft) high, famous for hosting important Taoist temples, and protected by the Qingdao Laoshan National Park. Here winter is freezing cold, summer is even more rainy than the plains, while in spring, when the coast is cool and shrouded in fog, it can have a pleasant and sunny weather.

When to go

The best times to visit Qingdao are spring and autumn, ie from mid-April to mid-June, and from mid-September to the end of October.