Shanghai weather in August

In August, Shanghai sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 154 mm of rain across 14.8 wet days and about 13.1 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 32°C in the first days to 30°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in August, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 30 min at the start of August to 12 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Shanghai's 6th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shanghai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
26°
12th coldest
Rainfall
154 mm
14.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 06 min
5:24 AM – 6:33 PM
Cloud cover
62%
6th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
4.98 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Shanghai is provincial-level municipality in China.

Air quality
Very high
PM2.5 37.7 µg/m³ · 2018
Density
3,923/km²
people per km²
Founded
1292

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

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 32°C in the first days to 30°C by the end.

A typical August day in Shanghai reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, August runs on par with July and about 4°C warmer than September.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13227
23227
33227
43227
53227
63227
73227
83227
93227
103227
113227
123227
133126
143126
153126
163126
173126
183126
193126
203126
213126
223126
233126
243126
253025
263025
273025
283025
293025
303025
313025

How August really feels in Shanghai

Once humidity and wind are folded in, August averages 31 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
31
11 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in August is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Shanghai weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 2nd-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 638.40.510.21.5
Feb10° / 628.70.510.92.2
Mar14° / 9611.30.111.83.8
Apr19° / 12°10410.2012.75.9
May24° / 17°12710013.66.7
Jun27° / 22°27014.50145.4
Jul31° / 26°15713.9013.83.8
Aug31° / 26°15414.8013.13.9
Sep27° / 22°10610.9012.26.1
Oct23° / 17°616011.27.4
Nov17° / 11°567.4010.45.8
Dec11° / 456.70.3103.0

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 53%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25347
35347
45347
55248
65149
75149
85050
94951
104951
114852
124852
134852
144753
154753
164753
174555
184555
194555
204456
214456
224456
234456
244357
254357
264357
274258
284258
294258
304357
314456

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Shanghai gets around 154 mm of rain over 14.8 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 46% and peaks near 51% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
240
340
441
542
643
743
844
945
1045
1146
1246
1347
1447
1548
1648
1749
1849
1950
2050
2150
2251
2350
2450
2550
2649
2749
2848
2947
3046
3145

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, August lands in the miserable band about 72% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
100991
2011089
3011089
4011188
5011287
6011287
7011386
8011485
9011584
10021682
11021781
12021979
13022078
14022177
15022276
16032374
17032473
18032572
19032671
20042769
21052867
22162865
23172963
24182962
252102959
262113057
272133055
283153151
293163149
304183147
314203244

Wind in August

Winds average 14 km/h in August, the windiest month of the year.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min at the start of August to 12 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 48 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 5:14 AM to 5:33 AM, and sunset from 6:46 PM to 6:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.55:146:46
213.55:156:46
313.55:156:45
413.55:166:44
513.45:176:43
613.45:176:42
713.45:186:41
813.45:196:40
913.35:196:40
1013.35:206:39
1113.35:216:38
1213.35:216:37
1313.25:226:36
1413.25:236:35
1513.25:236:34
1613.15:246:33
1713.15:246:32
1813.15:256:31
1913.15:266:29
2013.05:266:28
2113.05:276:27
2213.05:286:26
2312.95:286:25
2412.95:296:24
2512.95:306:23
2612.95:306:21
2712.85:316:20
2812.85:316:19
2912.85:326:18
3012.75:336:16
3112.75:336:15

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 4.98 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.47 kWh/m² to a high of 5.31 kWh/m² in July across the year — August's 4.98 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.4Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
174.9Bright
184.9Bright
194.9Bright
204.8Bright
214.8Bright
224.8Bright
234.8Bright
244.8Bright
254.7Bright
264.7Bright
274.7Bright
284.7Bright
294.6Bright
304.6Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in August

Hazard calendar for Shanghai

In seasonPeak

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

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

Shanghai'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 August a good time to visit Shanghai?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

August is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Shanghai.

What to pack for Shanghai in August

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

In August, Shanghai sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 15 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Shanghai in August

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in August — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 23 km away) is warmest in August at about 28°C and coldest in February near 7°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 27 to Oct 25 — about 5 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan8Bracing
Feb7Bracing
Mar10Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May19Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul26Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct21Refreshing
Nov17Cool
Dec12Bracing

UV index in Shanghai in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks 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 Shanghai peaks around August 16 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateAug 16UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Shanghai in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Shanghai is worst in December — around 53 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.2× the cleanest month (August, 25 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Shanghai's WHO annual average of 37.7 µg/m³.

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModeratePoorDec 2153 µg/m³Aug 1625 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan51Poor
Feb45Poor
Mar44Poor
Apr40Poor
May34Moderate
Jun29Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug25Moderate
Sep28Moderate
Oct32Moderate
Nov43Poor
Dec53Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Shanghai?

Shanghai sits at 31.2°N, 121.5°E, 12 m above sea level, in China. The nearest listed city is Suzhou, 83 km away.

TunxiGaigeturi

Topography around Shanghai

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shanghai has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 30 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 55 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 158 m.

The land around Shanghai is covered by artificial surfaces (86%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (73%) within 16 km, and water (39%), cropland (29%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
30 m
16 km
55 m
80 km
158 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
August weather nearby: Suzhou 83 km · Wuxi 118 km · Ningbo 150 km · Hangzhou 161 km · Pingyao 169 km · Nanjing 270 km · Tunxi 345 km · Gaigeturi 520 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 Shanghai (31.2222°, 121.4581°, 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).