Dunhuang in Fall
In fall (September, October and November), Dunhuang sees average daytime highs around 18°C and overnight lows near 4°C, with 4 mm of precipitation over about 1 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 30°C in early September to 4°C by late November. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels dry.
Fall is Dunhuang's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Dunhuang's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 18°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 4°C
- Precipitation
- 4 mm
- 1 wet days
- Avg wind
- 11 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.0
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Sep · Oct · Nov
Temperature in Dunhuang in Fall
Over the season highs ease from about 30°C in early September to 4°C by late November.
A typical fall day in Dunhuang reaches about 18°C and drops to 4°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is September, the coolest November.
How fall really feels in Dunhuang
Once humidity and wind are folded in, fall brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 44 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in fall is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Dunhuang weather by month
How the three fall months (September, October and November) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1° / -12° | 1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 9.5 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 6° / -7° | 1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 10.4 | 0.8 |
| Mar | 14° / -1° | 2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 11.7 | 5.0 |
| Apr | 22° / 7° | 2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 13 | 8.2 |
| May | 27° / 13° | 5 | 1 | 0 | 14.2 | 7.7 |
| Jun | 32° / 19° | 8 | 1.6 | 0 | 14.8 | 5.1 |
| Jul | 34° / 21° | 7 | 1.4 | 0 | 14.6 | 3.9 |
| Aug | 32° / 19° | 5 | 1 | 0 | 13.6 | 4.9 |
| Sep | 27° / 12° | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 12.3 | 8.1 |
| Oct | 19° / 4° | 1 | 0.4 | 0 | 10.9 | 7.7 |
| Nov | 9° / -4° | 1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 9.8 | 2.2 |
| Dec | 0° / -10° | 1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 9.2 | 0.0 |
Cloud cover in Fall
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time across fall.
Chance of precipitation in Fall
Dunhuang gets around 4 mm of rain and snow over 1 wet days across fall. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Fall
Most of fall feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Fall
Winds average 11 km/h across fall.
Sunrise & sunset in Fall
Daylight runs from about 12 h 54 min in early September to 9 h 24 min by late November. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Fall
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across fall, about 4.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Dunhuang
In fall, Dunhuang overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Dunhuang sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in May.
Is fall a good time to visit Dunhuang?
Our two travel scores rate fall for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
fall is a reasonable time to visit Dunhuang for sightseeing.
What to pack for Dunhuang in Fall
From fall's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In fall, Dunhuang sees daytime highs around 18°C and nights near 4°C. Pack light clothes and a warm layer. Worth having: sun protection.
UV index in Dunhuang in Fall
Clear-sky midday UV across fall averages around 5 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Dunhuang peaks around July 16 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 at about 2 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | High | High | High | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Low |
| Feb | 3 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | High |
| Apr | 7 | High |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 7 | Very high |
| Oct | 5 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Low |
Air quality in Dunhuang in Fall
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where fall falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Dunhuang is worst in March — around 276 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 125 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 179 | 180 | 276 | 222 | 218 | 139 | 136 | 169 | 133 | 167 | 145 | 125 |
| Level | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Unhealthy | Very unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 179 | Very unhealthy |
| Feb | 180 | Very unhealthy |
| Mar | 276 | Very unhealthy |
| Apr | 222 | Very unhealthy |
| May | 218 | Very unhealthy |
| Jun | 139 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 136 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 169 | Very unhealthy |
| Sep | 133 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 167 | Very unhealthy |
| Nov | 145 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 125 | Unhealthy |
Where is Dunhuang?
Dunhuang sits at 40.2°N, 94.7°E, 1,131 m above sea level, in China. The nearest listed city is Jiayuguan, 309 km away.
Topography around Dunhuang
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Dunhuang.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Dunhuang has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 31 m around an average of 1,129 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 582 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,435 m.
The land around Dunhuang is covered by cropland (54%) within 3 km, bare terrain (56%) and cropland (31%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (95%) 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 Dunhuang (40.1667°, 94.6833°, elevation 1,131 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.