Shanghai in Fall
In fall (September, October and November), Shanghai sees average daytime highs around 22°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 223 mm of rain over about 24 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 29°C in early September to 14°C by late November. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels dry.
Fall is Shanghai's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Shanghai's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 22°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 223 mm
- 24 wet days
- Avg wind
- 12 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.4
- best season of the year
- Months
- Sep · Oct · Nov
Temperature in Shanghai in Fall
Over the season highs ease from about 29°C in early September to 14°C by late November.
A typical fall day in Shanghai reaches about 22°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is September, the coolest November.
How fall really feels in Shanghai
Once humidity and wind are folded in, fall brings about 5 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in fall is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Shanghai weather by month
How the three fall months (September, October and November) 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 | 8° / 3° | 63 | 8.4 | 0.5 | 10.2 | 1.5 |
| Feb | 10° / 4° | 62 | 8.7 | 0.5 | 10.9 | 2.2 |
| Mar | 14° / 7° | 96 | 11.3 | 0.1 | 11.8 | 3.8 |
| Apr | 19° / 12° | 104 | 10.2 | 0 | 12.7 | 5.9 |
| May | 24° / 17° | 127 | 10 | 0 | 13.6 | 6.7 |
| Jun | 27° / 22° | 270 | 14.5 | 0 | 14 | 5.4 |
| Jul | 31° / 26° | 157 | 13.9 | 0 | 13.8 | 3.8 |
| Aug | 31° / 26° | 154 | 14.8 | 0 | 13.1 | 3.9 |
| Sep | 27° / 22° | 106 | 10.9 | 0 | 12.2 | 6.1 |
| Oct | 23° / 17° | 61 | 6 | 0 | 11.2 | 7.4 |
| Nov | 17° / 11° | 56 | 7.4 | 0 | 10.4 | 5.8 |
| Dec | 11° / 5° | 45 | 6.7 | 0.3 | 10 | 3.0 |
Cloud cover in Fall
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time across fall.
Chance of precipitation in Fall
Shanghai gets around 223 mm of rain over 24 wet days across fall. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Fall
Most of fall feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Fall
Winds average 12 km/h across fall.
Sunrise & sunset in Fall
Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min in early September to 10 h 06 min by late November. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Fall
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across fall, about 3.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Shanghai
In fall, Shanghai overlaps its pacific typhoon 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.
Is fall a good time to visit Shanghai?
Our two travel scores rate fall for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
fall is a reasonable time to visit Shanghai for sightseeing.
What to pack for Shanghai in Fall
From fall's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In fall, Shanghai sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 17°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear. About 24 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Shanghai in Fall
The nearest coast averages about 21°C across fall — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 8 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 21 | 17 | 12 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Cool | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Bracing |
| Feb | 7 | Bracing |
| Mar | 10 | Bracing |
| Apr | 14 | Bracing |
| May | 19 | Cool |
| Jun | 22 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 26 | Warm |
| Aug | 28 | Warm |
| Sep | 26 | Warm |
| Oct | 21 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 17 | Cool |
| Dec | 12 | Bracing |
UV index in Shanghai in Fall
Clear-sky midday UV across fall averages around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 6 | High |
| Apr | 7 | High |
| May | 7 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Very high |
| Oct | 5 | Moderate |
| Nov | 4 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3 | Moderate |
Air quality in Shanghai in Fall
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where fall 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 51 | 45 | 44 | 40 | 34 | 29 | 27 | 25 | 28 | 32 | 43 | 53 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | Poor |
| Feb | 45 | Poor |
| Mar | 44 | Poor |
| Apr | 40 | Poor |
| May | 34 | Moderate |
| Jun | 29 | Moderate |
| Jul | 27 | Moderate |
| Aug | 25 | Moderate |
| Sep | 28 | Moderate |
| Oct | 32 | Moderate |
| Nov | 43 | Poor |
| Dec | 53 | Poor |
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.
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.
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 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.