Shanghai Weather in August

With high temperature and humidity, the weather of Shanghai in August is unbearably sweltering. In terms of rainfall, the city suffers both brief showers and long-duration and heavy rains brought by the typhoon this month. Despite the unfavorable weather, August is a high travel season because it is the summer holiday in China. August is a summer month in Shanghai, and the defining characteristic of the weather is extremely hot.

Throughout the month, daytime temperature hovers around 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), with the maximum value typically reaching 38-40°C (100-104°F). To make matters worse, the humidity in Shanghai this month stands at 77%, making the air feel even more stifling: sometimes, the weather forecast says a daytime high of around 36-37°C (97-99°F), but in reality, the heat index can feel like around 40°C (104°F). Nighttime temperature generally ranges from 25 to 30°C (77-86°F), which is still far from cool.

In some years, the weather of last a few days of the month gets slightly cooler, with daily highs and lows around 27-33°C (81-91°F) and 23-26°C (73-79°F), respectively. 

People Visiting the Yu Garden in Hot August

 The rainfall of Shanghai in August remains at a relatively high level of 136 mm on average. During the averagely 11 rainy days, brief showers are more common, which tend to have less influence on your trips. 

What needs your special attention is that Shanghai may suffer typhoons in August. Typhoons may make direct landfall in Shanghai or pass by very closely. Although infrequently, when they do, they bring long-term heavy rain and strong winds, leading to widespread flight cancellations and the closure of tourist attractions. One or two times, Shanghai may be affected by the outer bands of a typhoon this month. During such times, while winds and rain may come and go intermittently, they will not be very strong and you can still go out and visit indoor attractions.

Sunny View of the Bund

 From the beginning to the end of the month, the sunrise time changes from 05:11 to 05:30, and the sunset time changes from 18:50 to 18:19. Accordingly, daylight hours in Shanghai gradually shorten in August, from 13.1 to 12.4. Luckily, they are still long enough for daily exploration, but remember to arrange some indoor visits for the sticky midday hours from 12:00 to 14:00.

The highest UV index reaches 11 this month, signifying that the sunshine is pretty intense. Besides, the sunshine hours reach around 8 per day on average. So, during your Shanghai trips in August, you have a high chance of seeing beautiful Shanghai under bright sunshine and blue and clear sky, but you need to take sun-protection measures.
 

 Clothes: There’s no doubt that you need to pack summer clothing such as sleeveless or short-sleeved T-shirts, shorts, and dresses to help you stay cool in the stuffy and hot climate of Shanghai. In addition to this, there are a few other things you should keep in mind:
1. First, it’s best to choose lightweight and breathable ones, such as those made of cotton, linen, or silk. 
2. Second, opt for light-colored clothing, as black ones absorb heat and will make you feel even hotter. 
3. Third, it’s best to pack several sets, since when temperatures reach around 35°C (95°F), your clothes can easily become soaked with sweat. 
4. Fourth, bring a light jacket like a sun-protection jacket in case feeling cold in air-conditioned places. 

Shoes: Choose one or two pairs among comfortable sandals, lightweight mesh sneakers, and slip-on canvas shoes.

Accessories:
1. High-SPF sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses are recommended to protect you against the strong UV rays. An all-weather umbrella is useful on both rainy and sunny days.
2. Consider bringing a portable fan, wet wipes, and a water bottle to help you stay comfortable in the blazing sun.
3. Insect repellent is needed in muggy August. 
 August marks China’s summer vacation, and Shanghai, as a major international metropolis, attracts many family groups, making it even more crowded than usual. Whether you visit Disneyland Park, museums, or the Yu Garden during the daytime or head to the Bund at nighttime, you will find that you are surrounded by throngs of tourists. Additionally, hotel rates will be significantly higher than usual.

Crowded Disneyland Park

Since the summer vacation ends in early September, the number of tourists drops significantly by the end of August.
 1. If possible, arrange your trip for late August, when the summer holiday crowds have dispersed and the weather may turn a little bit cooler.
2. Try to avoid weekends and book hotels and tickets for attractions as soon as possible.
3. Early morning and evening are the coolest periods of the day in August, so you are recommended to take full use of them to do some outdoor visits. As for the hottest 12:00-14:00, you’d better do some indoor visits, like exploring the Shanghai Museum.

Our Guests at the Shanghai Museum

4. Pay close attention to the weather forecast to keep informed about whether there is a typhoon during your stay. If there is, be sure to make adjustments promptly.
5. Since there are so many tourists in Shanghai during the summer holiday, some attractions may extend their opening hours. For instance, in 2025, the Shanghai Museum opened some exhibition halls 24 hours from August 11 to 17, and the Shanghai Natural History Museum extended its closing time to 20:00 for the entire month. Besides, Disneyland Park may open till 22:00 on some days in August.

See also:
Shanghai Summer – Weather, Temperature & Clothing Tips
12 Popular Shanghai Activities to Survive Summer
Top 5 Shanghai Tourist Sites in August

Aug	Temperature		Sunrise / Sunset	Humi- dity (%)
	High	Low
1	30.7°C / 87.3°F	26.0°C / 78.8°F	05:11 / 18:50	78
2	34.9°C / 94.8°F	27.0°C / 80.6°F	05:12 / 18:49	72
3	34.5°C / 94.1°F	24.4°C / 75.9°F	05:12 / 18:48	79
4	30.7°C / 87.3°F	26.6°C / 79.9°F	05:13 / 18:47	83
5	31.8°C / 89.2°F	27.3°C / 81.1°F	05:14 / 18:46	77
6	31.2°C / 88.2°F	27.5°C / 81.5°F	05:14 / 18:45	80
7	29.0°C / 84.2°F	25.0°C / 77.0°F	05:15 / 18:45	80
8	34.5°C / 94.1°F	25.7°C / 78.3°F	05:16 / 18:44	80
9	34.6°C / 94.3°F	26.4°C / 79.5°F	05:16 / 18:43	75
10	35.5°C / 95.9°F	28.1°C / 82.3°F	05:17 / 18:42	72
11	35.4°C / 95.7°F	25.4°C / 77.7°F	05:17 / 18:41	72
12	30.1°C / 86.2°F	24.0°C / 75.2°F	05:18 / 18:40	85
13	34.7°C / 94.5°F	24.9°C / 76.8°F	05:19 / 18:39	79
14	31.3°C / 88.3°F	25.3°C / 77.5°F	05:19 / 18:38	77
15	31.8°C / 89.2°F	26.2°C / 79.2°F	05:20 / 18:37	79
16	34.6°C / 94.3°F	27.4°C / 81.3°F	05:21 / 18:36	77
17	31.7°C / 89.1°F	24.4°C / 75.9°F	05:21 / 18:35	79
18	28.9°C / 84.0°F	24.7°C / 76.5°F	05:22 / 18:34	83
19	34.3°C / 93.7°F	24.8°C / 76.6°F	05:22 / 18:33	67
20	34.8°C / 94.6°F	25.7°C / 78.3°F	05:23 / 18:31	68
21	30.7°C / 87.3°F	25.4°C / 77.7°F	05:24 / 18:30	80
22	28.4°C / 83.1°F	24.5°C / 76.1°F	05:24 / 18:29	81
23	26.6°C / 79.9°F	23.7°C / 74.7°F	05:25 / 18:28	77
24	25.0°C / 77.0°F	22.7°C / 72.9°F	05:26 / 18:27	84
25	24.4°C / 75.9°F	23.4°C / 74.1°F	05:26 / 18:26	91
26	27.8°C / 82.0°F	24.3°C / 75.7°F	05:27 / 18:25	85
27	29.3°C / 84.7°F	24.7°C / 76.5°F	05:27 / 18:23	83
28	31.1°C / 88.0°F	26.5°C / 79.7°F	05:28 / 18:22	80
29	30.0°C / 86.0°F	26.1°C / 79.0°F	05:29 / 18:21	84
30	29.2°C / 84.6°F	26.7°C / 80.1°F	05:29 / 18:20	84
31	29.8°C / 85.6°F	25.3°C / 77.5°F	05:30 / 18:19	81