Kunming in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Kunming sees average daytime highs around 23°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 250 mm of precipitation over about 31 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 19°C in early March to 24°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels dry.
Spring is Kunming's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Kunming's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 23°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 13°C
- Precipitation
- 250 mm
- 31 wet days
- Avg wind
- 14 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.9
- best season of the year
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Kunming in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 19°C in early March to 24°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Kunming reaches about 23°C and drops to 13°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is May, the coolest March.
Kunming 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 | 15° / 5° | 35 | 5.4 | 1 | 10.6 | 5.1 |
| Feb | 17° / 6° | 30 | 5.3 | 0.5 | 11.1 | 6.5 |
| Mar | 21° / 10° | 42 | 6.7 | 0.3 | 11.8 | 7.3 |
| Apr | 24° / 13° | 69 | 9.4 | 0 | 12.6 | 7.2 |
| May | 24° / 16° | 139 | 15.1 | 0 | 13.2 | 6.2 |
| Jun | 24° / 17° | 278 | 23.8 | 0 | 13.5 | 4.4 |
| Jul | 24° / 18° | 274 | 26.6 | 0 | 13.4 | 4.1 |
| Aug | 24° / 17° | 238 | 24.9 | 0 | 12.9 | 4.4 |
| Sep | 22° / 16° | 165 | 20.3 | 0 | 12.2 | 4.8 |
| Oct | 20° / 13° | 113 | 16.2 | 0 | 11.4 | 5.4 |
| Nov | 17° / 8° | 34 | 6.3 | 0.1 | 10.8 | 6.2 |
| Dec | 15° / 5° | 24 | 4.5 | 0.7 | 10.5 | 5.0 |
Cloud cover in Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Kunming gets around 250 mm of rain and snow over 31 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 h 24 min in early March to 13 h 24 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 5.9 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Kunming
In spring, Kunming overlaps its pacific typhoon and monsoon 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.
Is spring a good time to visit Kunming?
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 Kunming for sightseeing.
What to pack for Kunming in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Kunming sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 13°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 31 days see rain.
UV index in Kunming in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages around 11 (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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 6 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
| Level | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | High |
| Feb | 8 | Very high |
| Mar | 11 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 13 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 10 | Extreme |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 6 | High |
Air quality in Kunming 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 29 | 30 | 35 | 34 | 28 | 24 | 26 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 30 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | Moderate |
| Feb | 30 | Moderate |
| Mar | 35 | Moderate |
| Apr | 34 | Moderate |
| May | 28 | Moderate |
| Jun | 24 | Moderate |
| Jul | 26 | Moderate |
| Aug | 29 | Moderate |
| Sep | 31 | Moderate |
| Oct | 31 | Moderate |
| Nov | 32 | Moderate |
| Dec | 30 | Moderate |
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.
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.
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 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.