Climate and average weather in Guangzhou
In Guangzhou, the summers are oppressive, sweltering, wet, and mostly cloudy and the winters are mild and partly cloudy.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Guangzhou typically varies from 12°C to 33°C, and is rarely below 7°C or above 36°C. July is the hottest month of the year, while January is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best times of year to visit Guangzhou for warm-weather activities are from early January to early February and late October to late December.
- Hottest
- Jul
- 33°
- Coldest
- Jan
- 12°
- Wettest
- Jun
- 336 mm
- Driest
- Nov
- 35 mm
- Rain / yr
- 1836 mm
- 166 wet days
- Daylight
- 10.6–13.4 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 15 m
- 23.1°N
- Clearest
- Oct
- 46% cloud
Guangzhou is capital city of Guangdong Province, China.
- Air quality
- Very high
- PM2.5 36.4 µg/m³ · 2018
- Density
- 2,221/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- ~214 BCE
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Guangzhou weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around late October to late December.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Guangzhou, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
The hot season lasts 5.3 months, from May 7 to October 13, with daily high temperatures above 29°C. The hottest month of the year in Guangzhou is July, with an average high of 33°C and low of 27°C.
The cool season lasts 2.7 months, from December 10 to February 28, with daily high temperatures below 21°C. The coldest month of the year in Guangzhou is January, with an average low of 12°C and high of 19°C.
Days typically run about 7°C warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 19 | 20 | 23 | 27 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 29 | 25 | 21 |
| Avg low (°C) | 12 | 13 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 13 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | 12 |
| Feb | 20 | 13 |
| Mar | 23 | 17 |
| Apr | 27 | 21 |
| May | 30 | 24 |
| Jun | 32 | 26 |
| Jul | 33 | 27 |
| Aug | 33 | 27 |
| Sep | 32 | 25 |
| Oct | 29 | 22 |
| Nov | 25 | 18 |
| Dec | 21 | 13 |
How hot and cold Guangzhou really feels
The felt-temperature range through the year — heat index on the day's high (summer humidity), wind chill on the night's low (winter wind). The dashed lines are the plain thermometer; the gap is how much hotter or colder it really feels.
On the hottest afternoons, once humidity is folded in, Guangzhou feels like about 42°C (around July 11). About 157 days a year carry some heat stress, and 90 of them tip into dangerous heat (feels-like above 39°C), peaking in July.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels-like high (°C) | 19 | 20 | 23 | 28 | 35 | 40 | 42 | 42 | 37 | 30 | 25 | 21 |
| Air high (°C) | 19 | 20 | 23 | 27 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 29 | 25 | 21 |
| Feels-like low (°C) | 12 | 13 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 13 |
| Air low (°C) | 12 | 13 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 13 |
| Feels-like high (°C) | Air high (°C) | Feels-like low (°C) | Air low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | 19 | 12 | 12 |
| Feb | 20 | 20 | 13 | 13 |
| Mar | 23 | 23 | 17 | 17 |
| Apr | 28 | 27 | 21 | 21 |
| May | 35 | 30 | 24 | 24 |
| Jun | 40 | 32 | 26 | 26 |
| Jul | 42 | 33 | 27 | 27 |
| Aug | 42 | 33 | 27 | 27 |
| Sep | 37 | 32 | 25 | 25 |
| Oct | 30 | 29 | 22 | 22 |
| Nov | 25 | 25 | 18 | 18 |
| Dec | 21 | 21 | 13 | 13 |
Average hourly temperature in Guangzhou
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on July afternoons, near 33°C, and coldest before dawn in January, near 12°C.
Guangzhou weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19° / 12° | 41 | 6.4 | 10.7 | 6.6 |
| Feb | 20° / 13° | 55 | 8.9 | 11.2 | 6.1 |
| Mar | 23° / 17° | 117 | 14.3 | 11.8 | 5.8 |
| Apr | 27° / 21° | 197 | 16.5 | 12.5 | 5.1 |
| May | 30° / 24° | 290 | 21 | 13.1 | 3.5 |
| Jun | 32° / 26° | 336 | 22.7 | 13.4 | 2.6 |
| Jul | 33° / 27° | 229 | 21.8 | 13.3 | 2.4 |
| Aug | 33° / 27° | 265 | 22.1 | 12.8 | 2.5 |
| Sep | 32° / 25° | 177 | 15.8 | 12.1 | 3.6 |
| Oct | 29° / 22° | 58 | 6.4 | 11.5 | 6.1 |
| Nov | 25° / 18° | 35 | 5.3 | 10.9 | 7.7 |
| Dec | 21° / 13° | 37 | 4.7 | 10.6 | 7.4 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Guangzhou gets about 1836 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is very wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 6.3 months, from around Mar 13 to Sep 19, peaking in June at about 77% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Oct 29.
June is the wettest month by volume, with 336 mm over about 23 wet days; November is the driest, with 35 mm.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 20 | 32 | 46 | 56 | 68 | 75 | 70 | 72 | 51 | 22 | 17 | 16 |
| Rain days | 6 | 9 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 | 6 |
| Feb | 32 | 9 |
| Mar | 46 | 14 |
| Apr | 56 | 17 |
| May | 68 | 21 |
| Jun | 75 | 23 |
| Jul | 70 | 22 |
| Aug | 72 | 22 |
| Sep | 51 | 16 |
| Oct | 22 | 6 |
| Nov | 17 | 5 |
| Dec | 16 | 5 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Guangzhou collects about 1836 mm of rain across 166 wet days — roughly 153 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. June is the wettest month with 336 mm, while November is the driest at just 35 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 48% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 41 | 55 | 117 | 197 | 290 | 336 | 229 | 265 | 177 | 58 | 35 | 37 |
| Rain days | 6 | 9 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41 | 6 |
| Feb | 55 | 9 |
| Mar | 117 | 14 |
| Apr | 197 | 17 |
| May | 290 | 21 |
| Jun | 336 | 23 |
| Jul | 229 | 22 |
| Aug | 265 | 22 |
| Sep | 177 | 16 |
| Oct | 58 | 6 |
| Nov | 35 | 5 |
| Dec | 37 | 5 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Guangzhou, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around August 31 and lasts for 5.3 months, ending around February 6. The clearest month is October, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 64% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around February 7 and lasts for 6.7 months, ending around August 30. The cloudiest month is June, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 84% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 45 | 31 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 26 | 30 | 50 | 64 | 62 | 58 |
| Cloudier (%) | 55 | 69 | 82 | 82 | 80 | 84 | 74 | 70 | 50 | 36 | 38 | 42 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45 | 55 |
| Feb | 31 | 69 |
| Mar | 18 | 82 |
| Apr | 18 | 82 |
| May | 20 | 80 |
| Jun | 16 | 84 |
| Jul | 26 | 74 |
| Aug | 30 | 70 |
| Sep | 50 | 50 |
| Oct | 64 | 36 |
| Nov | 62 | 38 |
| Dec | 58 | 42 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around June 5, brings about 13 h 24 min of light; the shortest, around January 1, only 10 h 36 min — a swing of roughly 2 h 48 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.7 | 11.2 | 11.8 | 12.5 | 13.1 | 13.4 | 13.3 | 12.8 | 12.1 | 11.5 | 10.9 | 10.6 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 7:15 | 7:05 | 6:42 | 6:11 | 5:50 | 5:45 | 5:54 | 6:07 | 6:17 | 6:28 | 6:46 | 7:06 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:58 | 6:18 | 6:32 | 6:43 | 6:57 | 7:10 | 7:11 | 6:55 | 6:25 | 5:56 | 5:38 | 5:41 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10.7 | 7:15 | 5:58 |
| Feb | 11.2 | 7:05 | 6:18 |
| Mar | 11.8 | 6:42 | 6:32 |
| Apr | 12.5 | 6:11 | 6:43 |
| May | 13.1 | 5:50 | 6:57 |
| Jun | 13.4 | 5:45 | 7:10 |
| Jul | 13.3 | 5:54 | 7:11 |
| Aug | 12.8 | 6:07 | 6:55 |
| Sep | 12.1 | 6:17 | 6:25 |
| Oct | 11.5 | 6:28 | 5:56 |
| Nov | 10.9 | 6:46 | 5:38 |
| Dec | 10.6 | 7:06 | 5:41 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Guangzhou averages about 7 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 2 and 15 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 5.2 months, from around Sep 4 to Feb 7. The sunniest month is October, with roughly 14 sunny days (mixed).
The greyest month is June, down near 2 sunny days — about 85% fewer than the October peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| Sky | Mixed | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Mixed |
| Feb | 5 | Gloomy |
| Mar | 3 | Gloomy |
| Apr | 2 | Gloomy |
| May | 3 | Gloomy |
| Jun | 2 | Gloomy |
| Jul | 4 | Gloomy |
| Aug | 5 | Gloomy |
| Sep | 10 | Mixed |
| Oct | 14 | Mixed |
| Nov | 14 | Mixed |
| Dec | 14 | Mixed |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Guangzhou, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 6.9 months, from around March 31 to October 26. The muggiest month is May, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 99% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around October 27 to March 30, and December is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 87% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 73 | 58 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 40 | 70 |
| Comfortable (%) | 16 | 18 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 16 | 17 |
| Humid (%) | 9 | 16 | 23 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 22 | 19 | 9 |
| Muggy (%) | 2 | 8 | 22 | 25 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 25 | 16 | 3 |
| Oppressive (%) | 0 | 1 | 7 | 36 | 35 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 29 | 25 | 9 | 1 |
| Miserable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 43 | 85 | 98 | 94 | 53 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | Miserable (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 58 | 18 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Mar | 30 | 19 | 23 | 22 | 7 | 0 |
| Apr | 6 | 11 | 17 | 25 | 36 | 5 |
| May | 0 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 35 | 43 |
| Jun | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 85 |
| Jul | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 98 |
| Aug | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 94 |
| Sep | 0 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 29 | 53 |
| Oct | 9 | 10 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 9 |
| Nov | 40 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 9 | 0 |
| Dec | 70 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Across the year, average wind speed in Guangzhou is typically calm, near 10 km/h, and varies little with the seasons.
The windier part of the year lasts 6.0 months, from around Oct 29 to Apr 30. The windiest month is December, averaging about 11 km/h (calm).
The calmer part of the year runs from around Jul 19 to Oct 28, with August the calmest month at about 8 km/h.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | calm |
| Feb | 11 | calm |
| Mar | 11 | calm |
| Apr | 11 | calm |
| May | 10 | calm |
| Jun | 10 | calm |
| Jul | 10 | calm |
| Aug | 8 | calm |
| Sep | 9 | calm |
| Oct | 10 | calm |
| Nov | 11 | calm |
| Dec | 11 | calm |
Hazard calendar for Guangzhou
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
Guangzhou sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Guangzhou's monsoon runs April–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Best time to visit Guangzhou
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Guangzhou throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around late December, Guangzhou is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Guangzhou for general outdoor tourist activities is from late October to early February, with a peak score in the last week of November.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 6.6 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 6.1 | 7.7 | 7.4 |
| Rating | good | good | good | fair | fair | poor | poor | poor | fair | good | ideal | good |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.6 | good |
| Feb | 6.1 | good |
| Mar | 5.8 | good |
| Apr | 5.1 | fair |
| May | 3.6 | fair |
| Jun | 2.6 | poor |
| Jul | 2.4 | poor |
| Aug | 2.5 | poor |
| Sep | 3.6 | fair |
| Oct | 6.1 | good |
| Nov | 7.7 | ideal |
| Dec | 7.4 | good |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Guangzhou for hot-weather activities is from late September to late November, with a peak score in the last week of October.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Guangzhou, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around July (highs near 33°C), the essentials are light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. In the cold season around January (highs near 19°C), pack a light layer.
In July, Guangzhou sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 22 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Guangzhou
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 67 km away) is warmest in August at about 29°C and coldest in February near 18°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Mar 21 to Dec 17 — about 8.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 23 | 20 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | Cool |
| Feb | 18 | Cool |
| Mar | 20 | Cool |
| Apr | 22 | Refreshing |
| May | 26 | Warm |
| Jun | 28 | Warm |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 28 | Tropical |
| Oct | 27 | Warm |
| Nov | 23 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 20 | Refreshing |
UV index (midday) in Guangzhou by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Guangzhou peaks around July 16 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 12 at about 6 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Level | High | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | High |
| Feb | 7 | High |
| Mar | 8 | Very high |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | High |
| Dec | 6 | High |
Average hourly UV index in Guangzhou
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in July the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 6.5 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 7 | 6.5 | 6 | 5 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 0 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | 0 |
| Feb | 6 | 2.5 |
| Mar | 6.5 | 3.5 |
| Apr | 7 | 4 |
| May | 7.5 | 5 |
| Jun | 8.5 | 6 |
| Jul | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Aug | 8 | 5.5 |
| Sep | 7 | 4.5 |
| Oct | 6.5 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 6 | 2.5 |
| Dec | 5 | 0 |
Air quality in Guangzhou by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Guangzhou is worst in January — around 47 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.0× the cleanest month (July, 24 µg/m³).
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Guangzhou's WHO annual average of 36.4 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 47 | 45 | 42 | 37 | 31 | 25 | 24 | 29 | 39 | 37 | 42 | 39 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47 | Poor |
| Feb | 45 | Poor |
| Mar | 42 | Poor |
| Apr | 37 | Poor |
| May | 31 | Moderate |
| Jun | 25 | Moderate |
| Jul | 24 | Moderate |
| Aug | 29 | Moderate |
| Sep | 39 | Poor |
| Oct | 37 | Poor |
| Nov | 42 | Poor |
| Dec | 39 | Poor |
Growing season
Guangzhou is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Guangzhou banks about 4,990 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around July.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 162 | 188 | 298 | 412 | 531 | 572 | 619 | 612 | 556 | 483 | 342 | 215 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 162 |
| Feb | 188 |
| Mar | 298 |
| Apr | 412 |
| May | 531 |
| Jun | 572 |
| Jul | 619 |
| Aug | 612 |
| Sep | 556 |
| Oct | 483 |
| Nov | 342 |
| Dec | 215 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Guangzhou receives about 3.9 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — moderate — with a clear seasonal swing between 2.9 and 5.1 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.4 months, from around Apr 24 to Nov 5. The brightest month is July, averaging about 5.0 kWh/m² (bright).
The dimmest month is January, down near 3.0 kWh/m² — roughly 40% less than the July peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.1 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.0 | Moderate |
| Feb | 3.0 | Moderate |
| Mar | 3.2 | Moderate |
| Apr | 3.7 | Moderate |
| May | 4.2 | Bright |
| Jun | 4.5 | Bright |
| Jul | 5.1 | Bright |
| Aug | 4.8 | Bright |
| Sep | 4.7 | Bright |
| Oct | 4.5 | Bright |
| Nov | 3.6 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3.1 | Moderate |
Where is Guangzhou?
Guangzhou sits at 23.1°N, 113.3°E, 15 m above sea level, in China. The nearest listed city is Zhuhai, 99 km away.
What Guangzhou looks like
Topography around Guangzhou
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Guangzhou.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Guangzhou has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 64 m around an average of 12 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 371 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,285 m.
The land around Guangzhou is covered by artificial surfaces (79%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (65%) and trees (21%) within 16 km, and trees (49%) and artificial surfaces (26%) 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 Guangzhou (23.1167°, 113.25°, elevation 15 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).