Shanghai in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Shanghai sees average daytime highs around 10°C and overnight lows near 4°C, with 170 mm of precipitation over about 24 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs ease from about 13°C in early December to 11°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Shanghai's weakest 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
- 10°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 4°C
- Precipitation
- 170 mm
- 24 wet days
- Avg wind
- 13 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.2
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Shanghai in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 13°C in early December to 11°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Shanghai reaches about 10°C and drops to 4°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Shanghai
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 40 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Shanghai weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) 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 Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Shanghai gets around 170 mm of rain and snow over 24 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 13 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 06 min in early December to 11 h 18 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 2.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Shanghai
In winter, 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 winter a good time to visit Shanghai?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Shanghai.
What to pack for Shanghai in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Shanghai sees daytime highs around 10°C and nights near 4°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 24 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Shanghai in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 9°C across winter — 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 Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 4 — 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 Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter 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.