Dunhuang in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Dunhuang sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 7°C, with 9 mm of precipitation over about 2 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the 2nd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 10°C in early March to 30°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels dry.
Spring is Dunhuang's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Dunhuang's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 7°C
- Precipitation
- 9 mm
- 2 wet days
- Avg wind
- 14 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.0
- best season of the year
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Dunhuang in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 10°C in early March to 30°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Dunhuang reaches about 21°C and drops to 7°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is May, the coolest March.
How spring really feels in Dunhuang
Once humidity and wind are folded in, spring brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in spring is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Dunhuang weather by month
How the three spring months (March, April and May) 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 Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Dunhuang gets around 9 mm of rain and snow over 2 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 14 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 hours in early March to 14 h 36 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 6.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Dunhuang
In spring, 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 spring a good time to visit Dunhuang?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring is a reasonable time to visit Dunhuang for sightseeing.
What to pack for Dunhuang in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Dunhuang sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 7°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: a warm layer.
UV index in Dunhuang in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages around 6 — 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 Spring
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where spring 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.