Shanghai Weather in December

Shanghai has low temperature in December. Though it is not as low as that of some cities in northern China, like Beijing, the weather also is freezing cold because of the dampness and occasional winds, especially during the nighttime. Light rain and sleet are the main forms of precipitation this month, but they do not occur frequently. 

The cold weather of Shanghai diminishes the number of people traveling there. As long as you avoid Christmas and New Year’s Eve, you can enjoy quiet trips and spend less.
 Generally speaking, it gets cold in Shanghai in December, especially at night. During the first half of the month, daily highs and lows are around 10-16 degrees Celsius (50-61 degrees Fahrenheit) and 6-10°C (43-50°F), respectively; during the second half, they drop to around 8-12°C (46-54°F) and 0-5°C (32-41°F), respectively. With this in mind, you should also carefully review the following information:

Cold Shanghai in December

1. Temperature in Shanghai at this time is not very stable and fluctuates significantly sometimes. Occasionally, especially in the middle and latter parts of the month, sudden drops in temperature can occur, bringing very cold weather that is not suitable for outdoor activities. For example, in December 2023, there were several consecutive cold days, with daytime highs ranging from 0 to 5°C (32-41°F) and nighttime lows consistently below 0°C (32°F).
2. This month, Shanghai’s average humidity is 70%, making the air quite damp and leading to even lower apparent temperature.
3. Along the Huangpu River, such as at the Bund, there is usually wind. When the wind blows, you will inevitably feel colder.
 In December, the weather of Shanghai is mostly sunny or cloudy, with an average of only 10 days with some precipitation. This means that if you travel during this time, the possibilities of encountering rainy weather are low.

What’s more, rainfall this month is mostly light, so even if you encounter a rainy day, there’s no need to worry: only a single umbrella is enough for you to continue the itinerary. Besides, Shanghai in drizzles actually offers a unique and atmospheric experience for you. When the temperature drops below freezing occasionally, sleet may fall, but it’s usually light and melts as soon as it hits the ground.

Sunny and Clear December

 In December in Shanghai, it doesn’t get light until around 06:40, and it gets dark very early at around 17:00. On the one hand, this makes the daylight hours very limited, lasting only about 10 hours. Therefore, you’d better get up early and try to keep your daytime itinerary as packed as possible. On the other hand, this also means you will have plenty of time to enjoy Shanghai’s vibrant nightlife.

You may also want to know that you can see and feel soft sunshine most of the time during your trip: there are about 5 sunshine hours per day on average. 
 Clothes: For the upper body, you can wear long-sleeved T-shirts plus knitwear, hoodies, or sweaters as the inner layer. Then, choose those thick and windproof clothes as the outer layer to keep you warm, for example, you can bring 3-in-1 jackets and wool coats. Down jackets are also necessary, which will be quite useful for nighttime tours. For the bottom, warm lined jeans or heavyweight sweatpants are recommended to bring. Or, you can wear thick trousers plus long johns.

Shoes: Since the climate of Shanghai is cold in December, in addition to being comfortable, the shoes you bring should be warm enough. For example, you can consider packing boots and thick casual shoes. Besides, be sure to pack thick and long socks.

Others: To combat the chill wind, you are recommended to bring hats and scarves. And, a thick mask keeps your face warm.
 For most of December, Shanghai is in its slack season with not many tourists. Visiting the city during this time means you won’t have to deal with the frustration of long lines or being jostled by crowds. Instead, you can take your time to quietly appreciate every street and every attraction of the city. Another benefit of the slack season is lower costs: prices for hotels are relatively low, and you can enjoy discounted tickets to attractions like Disneyland Park and the Yu Garden.

Quiet Yu Garden in Winter

However, it isn’t quiet the entire month. Toward the end of December, specifically on Christmas Eve on December 24 and New Year’s Eve on December 31, the number of tourists in Shanghai increases significantly. December 31 is even one of the busiest times in Shanghai of the year, with massive crowds at the Bund, Nanjing Road, Xintiandi, etc.
 

Dec	Temperature		Sunrise / Sunset	Humi- dity (%)
	High	Low
1	10.3°C / 50.5°F	7.4°C / 45.3°F	06:35 / 16:51	70
2	8.7°C / 47.7°F	3.9°C / 39.0°F	06:36 / 16:51	64
3	9.9°C / 49.8°F	3.0°C / 37.4°F	06:36 / 16:51	64
4	13.3°C / 55.9°F	3.2°C / 37.8°F	06:37 / 16:51	71
5	14.4°C / 57.9°F	10.4°C / 50.7°F	06:38 / 16:51	69
6	15.3°C / 59.5°F	12.8°C / 55.0°F	06:39 / 16:51	80
7	13.9°C / 57.0°F	12.3°C / 54.1°F	06:40 / 16:51	93
8	12.4°C / 54.3°F	5.7°C / 42.3°F	06:40 / 16:51	78
9	6.0°C / 42.8°F	2.6°C / 36.7°F	06:41 / 16:52	64
10	4.8°C / 40.6°F	-0.5°C / 31.1°F	06:42 / 16:52	58
11	7.4°C / 45.3°F	-2.0°C / 28.4°F	06:42 / 16:52	72
12	9.1°C / 48.4°F	-1.4°C / 29.5°F	06:43 / 16:52	69
13	12.8°C / 55.0°F	0.8°C / 33.4°F	06:44 / 16:53	80
14	11.7°C / 53.1°F	3.2°C / 37.8°F	06:45 / 16:53	78
15	9.4°C / 48.9°F	5.2°C / 41.4°F	06:45 / 16:53	64
16	5.4°C / 41.7°F	1.8°C / 35.2°F	06:46 / 16:54	49
17	5.4°C / 41.7°F	-1.5°C / 29.3°F	06:46 / 16:54	55
18	7.4°C / 45.3°F	0°C / 32.0°F	06:47 / 16:54	70
19	10.5°C / 50.9°F	1.8°C / 35.2°F	06:48 / 16:55	71
20	11.8°C / 53.2°F	3.4°C / 38.1°F	06:48 / 16:55	78
21	9.4°C / 48.9°F	8.1°C / 46.6°F	06:49 / 16:56	86
22	8.1°C / 46.6°F	4.5°C / 40.1°F	06:49 / 16:56	59
23	6.9°C / 44.4°F	2.1°C / 35.8°F	06:50 / 16:57	54
24	7.4°C / 45.3°F	-0.9°C / 30.4°F	06:50 / 16:57	53
25	9.5°C / 49.1°F	-2.5°C / 27.5°F	06:51 / 16:58	63
26	9.6°C / 49.3°F	-1.2°C / 29.8°F	06:51 / 16:59	68
27	9.9°C / 49.8°F	6.7°C / 44.1°F	06:51 / 16:59	63
28	11.5°C / 52.7°F	9.0°C / 48.2°F	06:52 / 17:00	72
29	11.7°C / 53.1°F	7.1°C / 44.8°F	06:52 / 17:00	73
30	7.7°C / 45.9°F	4.5°C / 40.1°F	06:52 / 17:01	64
31	8.9°C / 48.0°F	0.1°C / 32.2°F	06:53 / 17:02	72