Dunhuang in Summer
In summer (June, July and August), Dunhuang sees average daytime highs around 33°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 19 mm of rain over about 4 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 33°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels dry.
Summer is Dunhuang's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Dunhuang's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 33°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 19°C
- Rainfall
- 19 mm
- 4 wet days
- Avg wind
- 13 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.6
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Jun · Jul · Aug
Temperature in Dunhuang in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 33°C.
A typical summer day in Dunhuang reaches about 33°C and drops to 19°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is July, the coolest June.
How summer really feels in Dunhuang
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 63 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Dunhuang weather by month
How the three summer months (June, July and August) 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 Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Dunhuang gets around 19 mm of rain over 4 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 13 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 14 h 36 min in early June to 13 hours by late August. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 7.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Dunhuang
In summer, 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 summer a good time to visit Dunhuang?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a reasonable time to visit Dunhuang for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Dunhuang in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Dunhuang sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
UV index in Dunhuang in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 10 (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.
| 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 Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer 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.