Kunming weather in October

In October, Kunming sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 113 mm of rain across 16.2 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 48 min at the start of October to 11 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Kunming's 8th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kunming's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
8th warmest
Overnight low
13°
6th coldest
Rainfall
113 mm
16.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
7:12 AM – 6:36 PM
Cloud cover
67%
8th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
3.49 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Kunming is capital of Yunnan province, China.

Air quality
High
PM2.5 29.9 µg/m³ · 2018
Density
183/km²
people per km²

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

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 19°C by the end.

A typical October day in Kunming reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 2°C cooler than September and about 3°C warmer than November.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12114
22114
32114
42114
52114
62114
72114
82114
92114
102014
112014
122013
132013
142013
152013
162013
172013
182013
192013
202012
211912
221912
231912
241912
251912
261911
271911
281911
291911
301911
311911

Kunming weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan15° / 355.4110.65.1
Feb17° / 305.30.511.16.5
Mar21° / 10°426.70.311.87.3
Apr24° / 13°699.4012.67.2
May24° / 16°13915.1013.26.2
Jun24° / 17°27823.8013.54.4
Jul24° / 18°27426.6013.44.1
Aug24° / 17°23824.9012.94.4
Sep22° / 16°16520.3012.24.8
Oct20° / 13°11316.2011.45.4
Nov17° / 346.30.110.86.2
Dec15° / 244.50.710.55.0

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 60%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13070
23169
33268
43367
53367
63466
73565
83565
93664
103664
113763
123763
133862
143862
153862
163961
173961
183961
194159
204258
214258
224357
234456
244555
254555
264654
274654
284753
294852
304951
315050

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Kunming gets around 113 mm of rain over 16.2 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 51% and peaks near 61% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
161
261
361
461
561
661
760
859
959
1058
1157
1256
1355
1454
1553
1652
1751
1850
1948
2047
2146
2245
2345
2444
2543
2642
2741
2840
2939
3038
3136

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 55% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
1305317
2305515
3315514
4315613
5325711
6335710
734579
836568
937567
1039556
1141545
1243534
1345514
1447493
1550473
1653452
1755432
1857412
1961381
2063361
2165341
2269310
2371290
2473270
2575250
2677230
2779210
2881190
2983170
3084160
3186140

Wind in October

Winds average 9 km/h in October.

Across October, 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 October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 48 min at the start of October to 11 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 42 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 7:05 AM to 7:21 AM, and sunset from 6:51 PM to 6:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.87:056:51
211.77:056:50
311.77:066:49
411.77:066:48
511.77:076:47
611.67:076:46
711.67:086:45
811.67:086:44
911.67:096:43
1011.57:096:42
1111.57:106:41
1211.57:106:40
1311.57:116:39
1411.47:116:38
1511.47:126:37
1611.47:126:36
1711.47:136:35
1811.47:136:34
1911.37:146:34
2011.37:146:33
2111.37:156:32
2211.37:156:31
2311.27:166:30
2411.27:176:30
2511.27:176:29
2611.27:186:28
2711.27:186:27
2811.17:196:27
2911.17:196:26
3011.17:206:25
3111.17:216:25

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.49 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.11 kWh/m² to a high of 6.21 kWh/m² in April across the year — October's 3.49 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.8Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.7Moderate
63.7Moderate
73.7Moderate
83.6Moderate
93.6Moderate
103.6Moderate
113.6Moderate
123.5Moderate
133.5Moderate
143.5Moderate
153.5Moderate
163.5Moderate
173.4Moderate
183.4Moderate
193.4Moderate
203.4Moderate
213.4Moderate
223.4Moderate
233.4Moderate
243.4Moderate
253.3Moderate
263.3Moderate
273.3Moderate
283.3Moderate
293.3Moderate
303.3Moderate
313.3Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Kunming

In seasonPeak

In October, Kunming sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

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

Kunming's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is October a good time to visit Kunming?

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

5.4
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
2.7
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Kunming for sightseeing.

What to pack for Kunming in October

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

In October, Kunming sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 13°C. Pack rain gear. About 16 days see rain.

rain gear

UV index in Kunming in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kunming peaks around July 12 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighJul 12UV 13Dec 21UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb8Very high
Mar11Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep10Extreme
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec6High

Air quality in Kunming in October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Kunming is worst in March — around 35 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Kunming's WHO annual average of 29.9 µg/m³.

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMar 2235 µg/m³Jun 1824 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan29Moderate
Feb30Moderate
Mar35Moderate
Apr34Moderate
May28Moderate
Jun24Moderate
Jul26Moderate
Aug29Moderate
Sep31Moderate
Oct31Moderate
Nov32Moderate
Dec30Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Kunming?

Kunming sits at 25.0°N, 102.7°E, 1,895 m above sea level, in China. The nearest listed city is Dali, 259 km away.

SapaHà GiangThị Trấn Phố LuMường Lay

Topography around Kunming

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kunming has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 56 m around an average of 1,899 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 665 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,814 m.

The land around Kunming is covered by artificial surfaces (88%) within 3 km, trees (42%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 16 km, and trees (59%) and cropland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
56 m
16 km
665 m
80 km
1,814 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Dali 259 km · Lai Châu 303 km · Lào Cai 311 km · Sapa 321 km · Lijiang 322 km · Hà Giang 337 km · Thị Trấn Phố Lu 337 km · Mường Lay 341 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 Kunming (25.0389°, 102.7183°, elevation 1,895 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). 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).