Beijing weather in May
In May, Beijing sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 35 mm of rain across 5 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.
Highs climb over the month, from about 26°C in the first days to 31°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Beijing's 9th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Beijing's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 29°
- 4th warmest
- Overnight low
- 15°
- 8th coldest
- Rainfall
- 35 mm
- 5 wet days
- Daylight
- 14 h 12 min
- 5:05 AM – 7:17 PM
- Cloud cover
- 49%
- 9th clearest
- Wind
- 10 km/h
- 1st windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.12 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 6.4
- out of 10
Beijing is capital city of China.
- Air quality
- Very high
- PM2.5 50.6 µg/m³ · 2018
- Density
- 1,155/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1403
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in May
Highs climb over the month, from about 26°C in the first days to 31°C by the end.
A typical May day in Beijing reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 7°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 |
| Avg low (°C) | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | 12 |
| 2 | 26 | 12 |
| 3 | 26 | 13 |
| 4 | 26 | 13 |
| 5 | 26 | 13 |
| 6 | 27 | 13 |
| 7 | 27 | 13 |
| 8 | 27 | 14 |
| 9 | 27 | 14 |
| 10 | 27 | 14 |
| 11 | 28 | 14 |
| 12 | 28 | 14 |
| 13 | 28 | 15 |
| 14 | 28 | 15 |
| 15 | 28 | 15 |
| 16 | 29 | 15 |
| 17 | 29 | 15 |
| 18 | 29 | 16 |
| 19 | 29 | 16 |
| 20 | 30 | 16 |
| 21 | 30 | 16 |
| 22 | 30 | 16 |
| 23 | 30 | 16 |
| 24 | 30 | 17 |
| 25 | 31 | 17 |
| 26 | 31 | 17 |
| 27 | 31 | 17 |
| 28 | 31 | 17 |
| 29 | 31 | 18 |
| 30 | 31 | 18 |
| 31 | 31 | 18 |
How May really feels in Beijing
Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Beijing weather by month
How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2° / -8° | 3 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 9.5 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 6° / -5° | 5 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 10.4 | 0.8 |
| Mar | 13° / 1° | 9 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 11.7 | 4.7 |
| Apr | 22° / 8° | 19 | 3.9 | 0.1 | 13 | 7.8 |
| May | 29° / 15° | 35 | 5 | 0 | 14.2 | 6.4 |
| Jun | 32° / 20° | 74 | 7.8 | 0 | 14.8 | 4.0 |
| Jul | 32° / 23° | 160 | 12.8 | 0 | 14.5 | 3.5 |
| Aug | 31° / 22° | 119 | 10.5 | 0 | 13.6 | 4.4 |
| Sep | 27° / 16° | 57 | 7.1 | 0 | 12.3 | 6.9 |
| Oct | 20° / 8° | 33 | 4.3 | 0 | 10.9 | 7.4 |
| Nov | 10° / -1° | 14 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 9.8 | 3.1 |
| Dec | 3° / -6° | 3 | 1 | 1.1 | 9.2 | 0.0 |
Cloud cover in May
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in May.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 42%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 62 | 61 | 60 | 60 | 59 | 58 | 57 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 55 | 56 | 56 | 57 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 58 | 59 | 59 | 60 | 60 | 59 | 59 | 58 | 58 | 57 | 56 |
| Cloudier (%) | 38 | 39 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 43 | 44 | 43 | 42 | 41 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 44 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 62 | 38 |
| 2 | 61 | 39 |
| 3 | 60 | 40 |
| 4 | 60 | 40 |
| 5 | 59 | 41 |
| 6 | 58 | 42 |
| 7 | 57 | 43 |
| 8 | 56 | 44 |
| 9 | 56 | 44 |
| 10 | 56 | 44 |
| 11 | 56 | 44 |
| 12 | 56 | 44 |
| 13 | 55 | 45 |
| 14 | 56 | 44 |
| 15 | 56 | 44 |
| 16 | 57 | 43 |
| 17 | 56 | 44 |
| 18 | 57 | 43 |
| 19 | 58 | 42 |
| 20 | 59 | 41 |
| 21 | 58 | 42 |
| 22 | 59 | 41 |
| 23 | 59 | 41 |
| 24 | 60 | 40 |
| 25 | 60 | 40 |
| 26 | 59 | 41 |
| 27 | 59 | 41 |
| 28 | 58 | 42 |
| 29 | 58 | 42 |
| 30 | 57 | 43 |
| 31 | 56 | 44 |
Chance of precipitation in May
Beijing gets around 35 mm of rain over 5 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 16% and peaks near 17% on the wettest days.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 14 |
| 2 | 15 |
| 3 | 15 |
| 4 | 15 |
| 5 | 15 |
| 6 | 16 |
| 7 | 16 |
| 8 | 16 |
| 9 | 17 |
| 10 | 17 |
| 11 | 17 |
| 12 | 17 |
| 13 | 17 |
| 14 | 17 |
| 15 | 17 |
| 16 | 17 |
| 17 | 17 |
| 18 | 17 |
| 19 | 17 |
| 20 | 17 |
| 21 | 16 |
| 22 | 16 |
| 23 | 16 |
| 24 | 16 |
| 25 | 16 |
| 26 | 15 |
| 27 | 15 |
| 28 | 15 |
| 29 | 15 |
| 30 | 15 |
| 31 | 16 |
Humidity in May
Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 85% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 96 | 96 | 95 | 94 | 94 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 90 | 88 | 88 | 87 | 86 | 84 | 84 | 83 | 81 | 81 | 79 | 78 | 76 | 75 | 73 | 71 | 69 | 67 | 65 |
| Comfortable (%) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| Humid (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 96 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 96 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | 95 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | 94 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | 94 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | 93 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | 93 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | 93 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | 91 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 10 | 91 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | 91 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | 90 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | 90 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | 88 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| 15 | 88 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| 16 | 87 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| 17 | 86 | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | 84 | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| 19 | 84 | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| 20 | 83 | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| 21 | 81 | 14 | 5 | 0 |
| 22 | 81 | 14 | 5 | 0 |
| 23 | 79 | 15 | 6 | 0 |
| 24 | 78 | 16 | 6 | 0 |
| 25 | 76 | 17 | 7 | 0 |
| 26 | 75 | 17 | 8 | 0 |
| 27 | 73 | 18 | 8 | 1 |
| 28 | 71 | 19 | 9 | 1 |
| 29 | 69 | 20 | 10 | 1 |
| 30 | 67 | 21 | 11 | 1 |
| 31 | 65 | 22 | 12 | 1 |
Wind in May
Winds average 10 km/h in May, the windiest month of the year.
Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | calm |
| 2 | 10 | calm |
| 3 | 10 | calm |
| 4 | 10 | calm |
| 5 | 10 | calm |
| 6 | 10 | calm |
| 7 | 10 | calm |
| 8 | 10 | calm |
| 9 | 10 | calm |
| 10 | 10 | calm |
| 11 | 10 | calm |
| 12 | 10 | calm |
| 13 | 10 | calm |
| 14 | 10 | calm |
| 15 | 10 | calm |
| 16 | 10 | calm |
| 17 | 10 | calm |
| 18 | 10 | calm |
| 19 | 10 | calm |
| 20 | 10 | calm |
| 21 | 9 | calm |
| 22 | 9 | calm |
| 23 | 9 | calm |
| 24 | 9 | calm |
| 25 | 9 | calm |
| 26 | 9 | calm |
| 27 | 9 | calm |
| 28 | 9 | calm |
| 29 | 9 | calm |
| 30 | 9 | calm |
| 31 | 9 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in May
Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:22 AM to 4:54 AM, and sunset from 7:02 PM to 7:30 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.4 | 14.4 | 14.4 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.6 | 14.6 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:22 | 5:20 | 5:19 | 5:18 | 5:17 | 5:15 | 5:14 | 5:13 | 5:12 | 5:11 | 5:10 | 5:09 | 5:08 | 5:07 | 5:06 | 5:05 | 5:04 | 5:03 | 5:02 | 5:01 | 5:00 | 5:00 | 4:59 | 4:58 | 4:58 | 4:57 | 4:56 | 4:56 | 4:55 | 4:55 | 4:54 |
| Sunset (PM) | 7:02 | 7:03 | 7:04 | 7:05 | 7:06 | 7:07 | 7:08 | 7:09 | 7:10 | 7:11 | 7:12 | 7:13 | 7:14 | 7:15 | 7:16 | 7:17 | 7:17 | 7:18 | 7:19 | 7:20 | 7:21 | 7:22 | 7:23 | 7:24 | 7:25 | 7:26 | 7:26 | 7:27 | 7:28 | 7:29 | 7:30 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.7 | 5:22 | 7:02 |
| 2 | 13.7 | 5:20 | 7:03 |
| 3 | 13.7 | 5:19 | 7:04 |
| 4 | 13.8 | 5:18 | 7:05 |
| 5 | 13.8 | 5:17 | 7:06 |
| 6 | 13.9 | 5:15 | 7:07 |
| 7 | 13.9 | 5:14 | 7:08 |
| 8 | 13.9 | 5:13 | 7:09 |
| 9 | 14.0 | 5:12 | 7:10 |
| 10 | 14.0 | 5:11 | 7:11 |
| 11 | 14.0 | 5:10 | 7:12 |
| 12 | 14.1 | 5:09 | 7:13 |
| 13 | 14.1 | 5:08 | 7:14 |
| 14 | 14.1 | 5:07 | 7:15 |
| 15 | 14.2 | 5:06 | 7:16 |
| 16 | 14.2 | 5:05 | 7:17 |
| 17 | 14.2 | 5:04 | 7:17 |
| 18 | 14.3 | 5:03 | 7:18 |
| 19 | 14.3 | 5:02 | 7:19 |
| 20 | 14.3 | 5:01 | 7:20 |
| 21 | 14.3 | 5:00 | 7:21 |
| 22 | 14.4 | 5:00 | 7:22 |
| 23 | 14.4 | 4:59 | 7:23 |
| 24 | 14.4 | 4:58 | 7:24 |
| 25 | 14.5 | 4:58 | 7:25 |
| 26 | 14.5 | 4:57 | 7:26 |
| 27 | 14.5 | 4:56 | 7:26 |
| 28 | 14.5 | 4:56 | 7:27 |
| 29 | 14.5 | 4:55 | 7:28 |
| 30 | 14.6 | 4:55 | 7:29 |
| 31 | 14.6 | 4:54 | 7:30 |
Solar energy in May
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.12 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.26 kWh/m² to a high of 6.12 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 6.12 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 2 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 3 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 4 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 6 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 7 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 8 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 9 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 10 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 11 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 12 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 13 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 14 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 15 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.3 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Beijing
In May, Beijing sits inside its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Beijing's rainy season runs June–August, when most of the year's rain falls.
Beijing sees seasonal dust haze (April–June), heaviest in May.
Is May a good time to visit Beijing?
Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
May is a reasonable time to visit Beijing for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Beijing in May
From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In May, Beijing sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 15°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 5 days see rain.
UV index in Beijing in May
Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Beijing peaks around June 11 at about 7 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Very high | High | High | High | Moderate | Low | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Low |
| Feb | 2 | Moderate |
| Mar | 3 | Moderate |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 7 | Very high |
| Jul | 6 | High |
| Aug | 5 | High |
| Sep | 6 | High |
| Oct | 4 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2 | Low |
| Dec | 1 | Low |
Air quality in Beijing in May
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Beijing is worst in January — around 69 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.0× the cleanest month (June, 34 µg/m³).
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Beijing's WHO annual average of 50.6 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 69 | 63 | 57 | 41 | 35 | 34 | 35 | 37 | 46 | 57 | 67 | 67 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 63 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 41 | Poor |
| May | 35 | Poor |
| Jun | 34 | Moderate |
| Jul | 35 | Moderate |
| Aug | 37 | Poor |
| Sep | 46 | Poor |
| Oct | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 67 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 67 | Unhealthy |
Where is Beijing?
Beijing sits at 39.9°N, 116.4°E, 49 m above sea level, in China. The nearest listed city is Tianjin, 108 km away.
Topography around Beijing
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Beijing.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Beijing has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 51 m around an average of 48 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 107 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,093 m.
The land around Beijing is covered by artificial surfaces (82%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (70%) and trees (21%) within 16 km, and cropland (35%), trees (34%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 80 km.
China travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / I
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 47% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $13,862
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.1 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 0.5
- per 100k, 2020
- Road deaths
- 17.4
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 464
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Beijing (39.9075°, 116.3972°, elevation 49 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).