Lào Cai in Fall
In fall (September, October and November), Lào Cai sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 371 mm of rain over about 49 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 29°C in early September to 21°C by late November. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels muggy.
Fall is Lào Cai's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Lào Cai's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 19°C
- Rainfall
- 371 mm
- 49 wet days
- Avg wind
- 3 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.5
- best season of the year
- Months
- Sep · Oct · Nov
Temperature in Lào Cai in Fall
Over the season highs ease from about 29°C in early September to 21°C by late November.
A typical fall day in Lào Cai reaches about 26°C and drops to 19°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is September, the coolest November.
How fall really feels in Lào Cai
Once humidity and wind are folded in, fall brings about 3 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.
Lào Cai 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 | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18° / 11° | 96 | 18.1 | 10.8 | 4.7 |
| Feb | 20° / 12° | 87 | 17 | 11.2 | 5.0 |
| Mar | 24° / 15° | 126 | 19 | 11.8 | 5.5 |
| Apr | 27° / 19° | 129 | 17.6 | 12.5 | 5.2 |
| May | 29° / 22° | 200 | 19.7 | 13.1 | 4.1 |
| Jun | 30° / 24° | 242 | 22 | 13.4 | 3.3 |
| Jul | 30° / 24° | 261 | 23.2 | 13.2 | 3.4 |
| Aug | 30° / 23° | 268 | 22.4 | 12.8 | 3.6 |
| Sep | 28° / 22° | 165 | 18.2 | 12.1 | 4.6 |
| Oct | 26° / 19° | 118 | 16.6 | 11.5 | 5.7 |
| Nov | 23° / 15° | 88 | 13.8 | 10.9 | 6.1 |
| Dec | 19° / 12° | 92 | 14.1 | 10.6 | 5.5 |
Cloud cover in Fall
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time across fall.
Chance of precipitation in Fall
Lào Cai gets around 371 mm of rain over 49 wet days across fall. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Fall
Most of fall feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Fall
Winds average 3 km/h across fall.
Sunrise & sunset in Fall
Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min in early September to 10 h 42 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 3.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Lào Cai
In fall, Lào Cai overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Lào Cai's rainy season runs March–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is fall a good time to visit Lào Cai?
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 Lào Cai for sightseeing.
What to pack for Lào Cai in Fall
From fall's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In fall, Lào Cai sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 49 days see rain.
UV index in Lào Cai in Fall
Clear-sky midday UV across fall averages around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Lào Cai peaks around June 21 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 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 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 5 |
| Level | High | Very high | Extreme | 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 | 11 | Extreme |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 14 | Extreme |
| Jul | 13 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 10 | Very high |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | High |
| Dec | 5 | High |
Air quality in Lào Cai 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 Lào Cai is worst in March — around 49 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.8× the cleanest month (July, 17 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) | 36 | 40 | 49 | 48 | 30 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 23 | 28 | 33 | 36 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36 | Poor |
| Feb | 40 | Poor |
| Mar | 49 | Poor |
| Apr | 48 | Poor |
| May | 30 | Moderate |
| Jun | 19 | Moderate |
| Jul | 17 | Moderate |
| Aug | 18 | Moderate |
| Sep | 23 | Moderate |
| Oct | 28 | Moderate |
| Nov | 33 | Moderate |
| Dec | 36 | Poor |
Where is Lào Cai?
Lào Cai sits at 22.5°N, 104.0°E, 86 m above sea level, in Vietnam. The nearest listed city is Sapa, 21 km away.
Topography around Lào Cai
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Lào Cai.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Lào Cai has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 298 m around an average of 141 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,148 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,050 m.
The land around Lào Cai is covered by trees (65%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 3 km, trees (90%) within 16 km, and trees (85%) within 80 km.
Vietnam travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C / F
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 29% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $5,066
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.4 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 59%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 1.5
- per 100k, 2011
- Road deaths
- 30.6
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 500
- 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 Lào Cai (22.4856°, 103.9707°, elevation 86 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.