China - weather in February

February is the last month of winter in China, and it is less cold than January, especially in the second half of the month. In general, it is a cold but sunny month in the north and in Tibet, mild but cloudy in the south.
Given the size of the country, the average temperatures vary greatly: they are below freezing in the north-west, in Xinjiang, largely occupied by desert plateaus (see Ürümqi), and even more in the north-east, in Manchuria, influenced by Siberian air masses (see Tahe, Harbin).
In Beijing it is often very cold, and an icy wind blows from the Mongolian desert, but in the second half of the month we begin to see the first mild days.
In the central area (see Shanghai, Wuhan, Chongqing), the temperatures are relatively mild, and the rains are more frequent than in the north.
In the west, on the plateau of Tibet (see Lhasa), the sun shines during the day, but at night the temperature drops below freezing, by several degrees in the north and in the highest areas. Also, a very strong wind can blow.
In the southwest, in the mountains of Yunnan (see Kunming), the days are mild and often sunny, but it gets cold at night.
In the center-south, temperatures are mild, and in the south, in Guangdong and Guangxi, the daily average exceeds 15 °C (59 °F) on the coasts south of the Tropic.
In the extreme south, on the island of Hainan, where the climate is tropical, the average temperature is 19.5 °C (67 °F) on the north coast (see Haikou), and even 24 °C (75 °F) on the south coast (see Sanya).
In winter, cold spells can occur in China, during which the temperature can drop to -30 °C (-22 °F) or even below in the north-east and north-west, and to -15 °C (5 °F) in Beijing, while in the center, in Shanghai it can drop a few degrees below freezing and it can snow. On the southern coast (see Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong), some days can be a bit cold and windy, but the temperature never drops below freezing.
Winter in China is the driest season. In February, precipitation is very rare in the north, where it occurs in the form of snow (generally light), while in the center-south it is quite frequent, and increases compared to January. The rainiest area is the south-eastern one, north of the Tropic (see Ganzhou, Guilin, Nanchang), where rainfall already exceeds 100 mm (4 in) per month.

The sea is warm enough for swimming, with a temperature of 23 °C (73 °F), only on the southern coast of Hainan (see Sanya).




See also: China, the weather in January - March
The climate of China