Hangzhou weather in May

In May, Hangzhou sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 157 mm of rain across 12.2 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 28°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Hangzhou's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Hangzhou's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
5th warmest
Overnight low
18°
8th coldest
Rainfall
157 mm
12.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
5:10 AM – 6:41 PM
Cloud cover
69%
8th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
4.85 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.1
out of 10

Hangzhou is capital of Zhejiang Province, China.

Air quality
High
PM2.5 29.5 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
548/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 28°C by the end.

A typical May day in Hangzhou reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12516
22516
32516
42516
52517
62617
72617
82617
92617
102617
112617
122618
132618
142618
152618
162718
172718
182718
192719
202719
212719
222719
232719
242719
252719
262719
272820
282820
292820
302820
312820

How May really feels in Hangzhou

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Hangzhou weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 8010.41.610.31.7
Feb11° / 739.9110.92.7
Mar16° / 11913.50.211.84.4
Apr22° / 13°13112.1012.76.0
May27° / 18°15712.2013.56.1
Jun29° / 22°30316.2013.94.5
Jul34° / 26°17312.9013.82.8
Aug33° / 26°14114.8013.13.0
Sep29° / 22°9810.1012.25.6
Oct24° / 16°596.3011.37.4
Nov18° / 10°658.5010.55.9
Dec12° / 597.50.410.13.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23466
33565
43565
53565
63565
73565
83565
93565
103367
113367
123367
133367
143367
153466
163466
173466
183466
193367
203367
213367
223367
233367
243367
253367
263367
273268
283268
293268
303169
313070

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Hangzhou gets around 157 mm of rain over 12.2 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 39% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
137
237
337
438
538
639
739
840
940
1040
1140
1240
1340
1440
1540
1640
1740
1840
1940
2040
2140
2239
2339
2439
2539
2639
2739
2839
2939
3040
3141

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the humid band about 32% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 33% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
13226241440
23026251540
32926261540
42725271650
52525291650
62425301650
72324301760
82224311760
92124321760
102023321870
111923331870
121823331870
131723331970
141623341980
151522342081
161422342191
171222342191
1811213422101
1910213423111
209203424121
219203424131
228193425131
237183426141
246173426151
255173427161
264163428171
274153429171
283143430181
293133331191
302123232201
312113133222

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:22 AM to 5:03 AM, and sunset from 6:31 PM to 6:51 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.25:226:31
213.25:216:32
313.25:206:33
413.25:196:33
513.35:186:34
613.35:176:35
713.35:176:35
813.35:166:36
913.45:156:37
1013.45:146:37
1113.45:136:38
1213.45:136:39
1313.55:126:39
1413.55:116:40
1513.55:116:41
1613.55:106:41
1713.55:096:42
1813.65:096:43
1913.65:086:43
2013.65:086:44
2113.65:076:45
2213.65:076:45
2313.75:066:46
2413.75:066:46
2513.75:056:47
2613.75:056:48
2713.75:046:48
2813.75:046:49
2913.85:046:49
3013.85:036:50
3113.85:036:51

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.85 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.46 kWh/m² to a high of 5.27 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 4.85 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
74.8Bright
84.8Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.8Bright
134.8Bright
144.8Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.8Bright
204.8Bright
214.8Bright
224.8Bright
234.8Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Hangzhou

In seasonPeak

In May, Hangzhou sits inside its pacific typhoon and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Hangzhou sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Hangzhou's rainy season runs May–August, when most of the year's rain falls.

Pacific typhoon
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Hangzhou?

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

6.1
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Hangzhou for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Hangzhou in May

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

In May, Hangzhou sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 18°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Hangzhou in May

The nearest coast averages about 19°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 45 km away) is warmest in August at about 29°C and coldest in February near 7°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 22 to Oct 29 — about 5.3 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan8Bracing
Feb7Bracing
Mar10Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May19Cool
Jun24Refreshing
Jul27Warm
Aug29Tropical
Sep26Warm
Oct22Refreshing
Nov17Cool
Dec12Bracing

UV index in Hangzhou in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Hangzhou peaks around July 20 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateJul 20UV 10Jan 10UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5High
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Hangzhou in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Hangzhou is worst in December — around 39 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.2× the cleanest month (August, 18 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Hangzhou's WHO annual average of 29.5 µg/m³.

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModeratePoorDec 2339 µg/m³Aug 1118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan39Poor
Feb37Poor
Mar36Poor
Apr32Moderate
May27Moderate
Jun24Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep23Moderate
Oct27Moderate
Nov33Moderate
Dec39Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Hangzhou?

Hangzhou sits at 30.3°N, 120.2°E, 12 m above sea level, in China. The nearest listed city is Pingyao, 22 km away.

Fuzhou

Topography around Hangzhou

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Hangzhou.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Hangzhou has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 28 m around an average of 10 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 415 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,634 m.

The land around Hangzhou is covered by artificial surfaces (77%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (48%) and trees (26%) within 16 km, and trees (51%) and cropland (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
28 m
16 km
415 m
80 km
1,634 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Pingyao 22 km · Suzhou 120 km · Ningbo 141 km · Wuxi 142 km · Shanghai 161 km · Tunxi 189 km · Nanjing 237 km · Fuzhou 478 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 Hangzhou (30.2936°, 120.1614°, elevation 12 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).