Shanghai in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Shanghai sees average daytime highs around 19°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 327 mm of rain over about 32 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 2nd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 12°C in early March to 26°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels dry.
Spring is Shanghai's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Shanghai's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 19°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 12°C
- Rainfall
- 327 mm
- 32 wet days
- Avg wind
- 14 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.5
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Shanghai in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 12°C in early March to 26°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Shanghai reaches about 19°C and drops to 12°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is May, the coolest March.
How spring really feels in Shanghai
Once humidity and wind are folded in, spring brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
spring sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Shanghai 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 | 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 Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Shanghai gets around 327 mm of rain over 32 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 18 min in early March to 13 h 54 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 4.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Shanghai
In spring, Shanghai overlaps 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.
Is spring a good time to visit Shanghai?
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 Shanghai for sightseeing.
What to pack for Shanghai in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Shanghai sees daytime highs around 19°C and nights near 12°C. Worth packing: light clothes, a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 32 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Shanghai in Spring
The nearest coast averages about 14°C across spring — 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 Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages around 7 — 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 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 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.