Dunhuang weather in July

In July, Dunhuang sees average daytime highs of 34°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 7 mm of rain across 1.4 wet days and about 14.6 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 34°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time in July, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 48 min at the start of July to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, July is Dunhuang's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dunhuang's year-round climate.

Daytime high
34°
1st warmest
Overnight low
21°
12th coldest
Rainfall
7 mm
1.4 wet days
Daylight
14 h 36 min
6:29 AM – 9:05 PM
Cloud cover
36%
5th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
7.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Temperature in July

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 34°C through the month.

A typical July day in Dunhuang reaches about 34°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 30°C and 38°C. Set against its neighbours, July runs about 2°C warmer than June and about 1°C warmer than August.

15°20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13320
23320
33320
43321
53321
63321
73321
83321
93421
103421
113421
123421
133421
143421
153421
163421
173421
183421
193421
203421
213421
223421
233421
243421
253421
263421
273421
283421
293421
303421
313421

How July really feels in Dunhuang

Once humidity and wind are folded in, July averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in July is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Dunhuang weather by month

How July compares with the rest of the year at a glance. July is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-1° / -12°10.10.39.50.0
Feb / -7°10.20.210.40.8
Mar14° / -1°20.50.511.75.0
Apr22° / 20.70.1138.2
May27° / 13°51014.27.7
Jun32° / 19°81.6014.85.1
Jul34° / 21°71.4014.63.9
Aug32° / 19°51013.64.9
Sep27° / 12°30.5012.38.1
Oct19° / 10.4010.97.7
Nov / -4°10.30.39.82.2
Dec / -10°10.40.79.20.0

Cloud cover in July

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time in July.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of July, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 27%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16535
26634
36634
46634
56733
66832
76832
86832
96832
107030
117030
127030
137129
147228
157327
167327
177426
187525
197624
207624
217822
227822
237822
247822
257921
267921
277921
287921
297822
307822
317822

Chance of precipitation in July

Any precipitation

Dunhuang gets around 7 mm of rain over 1.4 wet days in July. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 4% and peaks near 6% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
16
26
36
46
55
65
75
85
95
105
115
125
135
145
155
165
174
184
194
204
214
224
234
244
253
263
273
283
293
303
313

Humidity in July

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of July feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, July lands in the dry band about 95% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19730
29730
39820
49820
59820
69820
79730
89730
99730
109730
119730
129730
139640
149640
159640
169640
179640
189640
199550
209550
219550
229550
239460
249361
259361
269361
279361
289361
299361
309271
319271

Wind in July

Winds average 13 km/h in July.

Across July, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in July

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 48 min at the start of July to 14 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 36 minutes over July. Sunrise moves from 6:20 AM to 6:42 AM, and sunset from 9:09 PM to 8:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.86:209:09
214.86:209:09
314.86:219:09
414.86:219:09
514.86:229:09
614.86:229:09
714.86:239:08
814.76:249:08
914.76:249:08
1014.76:259:08
1114.76:259:07
1214.76:269:07
1314.76:279:06
1414.66:289:06
1514.66:289:05
1614.66:299:05
1714.66:309:04
1814.66:319:04
1914.56:319:03
2014.56:329:02
2114.56:339:02
2214.56:349:01
2314.46:359:00
2414.46:368:59
2514.46:368:58
2614.36:378:58
2714.36:388:57
2814.36:398:56
2914.26:408:55
3014.26:418:54
3114.26:428:53

Solar energy in July

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in July, about 7.29 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.44 kWh/m² to a high of 7.48 kWh/m² in June across the year — July's 7.29 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.4Intense
27.4Intense
37.4Intense
47.4Intense
57.4Intense
67.4Intense
77.4Intense
87.3Intense
97.3Intense
107.3Intense
117.3Intense
127.3Intense
137.3Intense
147.3Intense
157.3Intense
167.3Intense
177.3Intense
187.3Intense
197.3Intense
207.3Intense
217.2Intense
227.2Intense
237.2Intense
247.2Intense
257.2Intense
267.2Intense
277.2Intense
287.2Intense
297.1Intense
307.1Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in July

Hazard calendar for Dunhuang

In seasonPeak

In July, Dunhuang sits inside 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.

Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is July a good time to visit Dunhuang?

Our two travel scores rate July for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.9
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
7.5
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

July is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Dunhuang. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Dunhuang in July

From July's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In July, Dunhuang sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Dunhuang in July

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in July peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJul 16UV 10Jan 11UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May7High
Jun10Very high
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Dunhuang in July

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where July 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).

0306090120150180210240270JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery unhealthyUnhealthyVery unhealthyUnhealthyVery unhealthyUnhealthyMar 19268 µg/m³Dec 13129 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan179Very unhealthy
Feb180Very unhealthy
Mar276Very unhealthy
Apr222Very unhealthy
May218Very unhealthy
Jun139Unhealthy
Jul136Unhealthy
Aug169Very unhealthy
Sep133Unhealthy
Oct167Very unhealthy
Nov145Unhealthy
Dec125Unhealthy
Location & terrain

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.

JiayuguanTurpanAltaiUrumqiBogdHovdBayanhongorUliastay

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.

3 km
31 m
16 km
582 m
80 km
3,435 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
July weather nearby: Jiayuguan 309 km · Turpan 552 km · Altai 702 km · Urumqi 711 km · Bogd 792 km · Hovd 806 km · Bayanhongor 829 km · Uliastay 860 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
unaffiliated 52%folk religion 22%Buddhist 18%Christian 5%

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. 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).