Xihu in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Xihu sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 177 mm of rain over about 23 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 24°C in early December to 22°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Winter is Xihu's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Xihu's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 16°C
- Rainfall
- 177 mm
- 23 wet days
- Avg wind
- 17 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.2
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Xihu in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 24°C in early December to 22°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Xihu reaches about 21°C and drops to 16°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Xihu
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Xihu 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 | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20° / 15° | 52 | 7.7 | 10.7 | 7.1 |
| Feb | 21° / 15° | 74 | 9.1 | 11.2 | 6.7 |
| Mar | 23° / 17° | 115 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 6.7 |
| Apr | 26° / 21° | 150 | 13.1 | 12.5 | 6.2 |
| May | 29° / 23° | 228 | 15.6 | 13.1 | 4.9 |
| Jun | 30° / 25° | 287 | 18.6 | 13.5 | 3.6 |
| Jul | 31° / 26° | 230 | 17.5 | 13.3 | 3.5 |
| Aug | 31° / 26° | 287 | 19.9 | 12.8 | 3.5 |
| Sep | 30° / 25° | 144 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 4.7 |
| Oct | 28° / 23° | 55 | 4.8 | 11.4 | 6.8 |
| Nov | 26° / 20° | 43 | 5.3 | 10.8 | 7.7 |
| Dec | 22° / 17° | 50 | 6.1 | 10.5 | 7.7 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Xihu gets around 177 mm of rain over 23 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 17 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 36 min in early December to 11 h 30 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 3.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Xihu
In winter, Xihu overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Xihu sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Xihu's monsoon runs April–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Xihu?
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 one of the better times to visit Xihu for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Xihu in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Xihu sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 16°C. Worth packing: light clothes and rain gear. About 23 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Xihu in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 20°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 21 km away) is warmest in August at about 29°C and coldest in January near 19°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Feb 21 to Jan 4 — about 10.5 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 19 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 21 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | Cool |
| Feb | 20 | Cool |
| Mar | 22 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 24 | Warm |
| May | 26 | Warm |
| Jun | 28 | Warm |
| Jul | 28 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 28 | Warm |
| Oct | 26 | Warm |
| Nov | 24 | Warm |
| Dec | 21 | Refreshing |
UV index in Xihu in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter 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 Xihu peaks around June 18 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 5 (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 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
| Level | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | High |
| Feb | 8 | Very high |
| Mar | 9 | Very high |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 7 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | High |
| Dec | 5 | High |
Air quality in Xihu 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 Xihu is worst in March — around 56 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.7× the cleanest month (July, 33 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 45 | 48 | 56 | 50 | 41 | 34 | 33 | 36 | 41 | 38 | 41 | 39 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45 | Poor |
| Feb | 48 | Poor |
| Mar | 56 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 50 | Poor |
| May | 41 | Poor |
| Jun | 34 | Moderate |
| Jul | 33 | Moderate |
| Aug | 36 | Poor |
| Sep | 41 | Poor |
| Oct | 38 | Poor |
| Nov | 41 | Poor |
| Dec | 39 | Poor |
Where is Xihu?
Xihu sits at 24.0°N, 120.5°E, 23 m above sea level, in Taiwan. The nearest listed city is Pitou, 7.0 km away.
Topography around Xihu
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Xihu.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Xihu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 18 m around an average of 17 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 424 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,887 m.
The land around Xihu is covered by cropland (40%) and artificial surfaces (37%) within 3 km, cropland (43%), artificial surfaces (26%) and trees (20%) within 16 km, and trees (45%) and water (33%) within 80 km.
Taiwan travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 110 / 220 V · 60 Hz
- Happiness
- 6.7 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- 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 Xihu (23.9568°, 120.4792°, elevation 23 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.