Shanghai Weather in October

The weather of Shanghai is cool and sunny in October, perfect for various outdoor explorations. Besides, autumn colors highlight the city in the late month. 

But avoid visiting Shanghai during the National Day Holiday of China from October 1 to 7 in 2026, when hundreds of thousands of domestic tourists surge into the city. 

The Bund in Sunny October

 Generally speaking, in October, Shanghai experiences cozy and mild weather with gradually dropping temperatures day by day.

During the first half month, the daytime is kind of warm, with a temperature range of about 25-30 degrees Celsius (77-86 degrees Fahrenheit); and the nighttime is cool with the temperature hovering around 20°C (68°F). In some years, like 2025, the cold air arrives at Shanghai late, and the city may experience several hot days with the daily high of around 35°C (95°F) in early October. Take it easy, this situation is quite rare.

During the second half month, Shanghai becomes cool the whole day. Daily high is around 20-25°C (68-77°F), a level that makes you feel comfortable for outdoor activities. Daily low is stable at 15-18°C (59-64°F), pretty cool so a light jacket is necessary.

Cool Late October

 Visiting Shanghai in October, the chances of your trip being interrupted by rain are very slim. Though there are about 12 rainy days in Shanghai this month on average, the rain during these days is most likely to be light and short. 

Humidity is around 71% on average. Combined with the mild temperature this month, the air feels fresh and cozy, but not muggy at all.

Sunny October with Blue Sky

 In October, sunsets come earlier and earlier, at around 17:40 at the beginning of the month and 17:06 by the end. With darkness falling early, the available daytime for sightseeing is reduced: this month, daylight hours are shortened from 11.5 to 10.5. So, you need to plan your itinerary carefully: on the one hand, make your daytime tours more compact; and on the other hand, plan richer activities for the nighttime. More specifically, night views of the Bund, Nanjing Road, and Yuyuan Bazaar are recommended to be added to your travel list. Besides, the Yu Garden opens at night on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from May to October each year, providing you with a unique experience.

UV index reaches 7 the highest in September, and the sunlight is strong during the sunny moments. So, don’t forget to take some measures to protect your skin when going out.

 Clothes for the First Half of October: You can wear short-sleeved or long-sleeved T-shirts plus thin long pants during the daytime and add a jacket for nighttime tours. 

 Clothes for the Second Half of October: Thin hoodies plus sweatpants, or short-sleeved T-shirts, thin knitwear, plus thin jeans are more comfortable for daytime, and leather jackets or denim jackets are recommended to put on during nighttime.

 Shoes: As long as they are comfortable for walking, sneakers, loafers, and canvas shoes are all OK to pack.

 Others: An umbrella is better to bring just in case. During the sunny hours, sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats are recommended to wear.
 There is no doubt that October is one of the best months to visit Shanghai, because of the favorable climate. However, there is one thing that you should note.

National Day holiday, which is from October 1 to 7 in 2026, is one of the busiest tourist periods in Shanghai throughout the year. During this long public holiday, numerous domestic tourists stream into Shanghai. Therefore, the Bund, the Yu Garden, and the Disneyland Park will all be extremely crowded - you may even find it hard to move freely sometimes. Besides, you will inevitably spend a lot more on hotels and tickets for the Disneyland Park than usual.

Crowded National Day Holiday

Try your best not to arrange the visit to Shanghai for this period. If this is your only available time, you may want to know that:
(1) October 5-7 see fewer tourists than October 1-4.
(2) Hotel rooms and tickets for famous attractions need to be reserved ahead of time.
(3) Getting up early and finishing your trip to the most popular attractions like the Yu Garden before 10:30 can help you have a much quieter experience.
(4) For trips to Zhujiajiao Water Town, you are also recommended to arrive early to avoid main crowds.
(5) Want to see the beautiful and dreamlike night view of Lujiazui in the Bund, but wish to get rid of the crowds? The North Bund, that is, the north bank of the Huangpu River, is a good alternative. 
 1. During the National Day holiday, Disneyland Park will give special fireworks shows that differ from the usual ones. In the second half of October, approaching Halloween, the park will be full of Halloween-themed decorations and host various related parades in addition to the special fireworks shows.
2. By the end of October, the leaves in Shanghai begin to take on their autumn colors. At this time, there are already plenty of yellow ginkgo leaves. Guyi Garden and the “Ginkgo Alley” on Jumen Road in the city center are excellent spots for viewing them. Red maple leaves are not yet abundant, but you can look for them at places like the Yu Garden and Century Park.

See also:
 Autumn in Shanghai – Weather, Clothing & Travel Tips
Where to Go in Shanghai in Autumn - 11 Best Destinations
 6 Shanghai Famous Places to Visit in October

 

What is the temperature in Shanghai in October?

Oct	Temperature		Sunrise / Sunset	Humi- dity (%)
	High	Low
1	20.5°C / 68.9°F	19.1°C / 66.4°F	05:48 / 17:40	67
2	19.8°C / 67.6°F	16.2°C / 61.2°F	05:49 / 17:38	68
3	19.9°C / 67.8°F	17.0°C / 62.6°F	05:49 / 17:37	60
4	21.5°C / 70.7°F	17.0°C / 62.6°F	05:50 / 17:36	58
5	22.2°C / 72.0°F	17.5°C / 63.5°F	05:50 / 17:35	60
6	24.8°C / 76.6°F	14.5°C / 58.1°F	05:51 / 17:33	70
7	24.8°C / 76.6°F	15.1°C / 59.2°F	05:52 / 17:32	74
8	24.8°C / 76.6°F	16.4°C / 61.5°F	05:52 / 17:31	72
9	26.5°C / 79.7°F	15.4°C / 59.7°F	05:53 / 17:30	69
10	25.6°C / 78.1°F	21.5°C / 70.7°F	05:54 / 17:29	85
11	24.5°C / 76.1°F	20.2°C / 68.4°F	05:54 / 17:27	74
12	24.2°C / 75.6°F	18.3°C / 64.9°F	05:55 / 17:26	71
13	22.5°C / 72.5°F	20.5°C / 68.9°F	05:56 / 17:25	82
14	21.2°C / 70.2°F	16.2°C / 61.2°F	05:56 / 17:24	85
15	22.3°C / 72.1°F	14.3°C / 57.7°F	05:57 / 17:23	68
16	24.5°C / 76.1°F	11.7°C / 53.1°F	05:58 / 17:22	63
17	24.4°C / 75.9°F	15.1°C / 59.2°F	05:58 / 17:20	57
18	20.9°C / 69.6°F	16.3°C / 61.3°F	05:59 / 17:19	61
19	21.2°C / 70.2°F	15.3°C / 59.5°F	06:00 / 17:18	63
20	23.6°C / 74.5°F	17.7°C / 63.9°F	06:01 / 17:17	75
21	20.8°C / 69.4°F	18.6°C / 65.5°F	06:01 / 17:16	77
22	22.7°C / 72.9°F	15.2°C / 59.4°F	06:02 / 17:15	69
23	23.7°C / 74.7°F	15.6°C / 60.1°F	06:03 / 17:14	65
24	20.9°C / 69.6°F	16.3°C / 61.3°F	06:03 / 17:13	82
25	16.5°C / 61.7°F	14.6°C / 58.3°F	06:04 / 17:12	55
26	17.5°C / 63.5°F	14.4°C / 57.9°F	06:05 / 17:11	58
27	19.4°C / 66.9°F	14.4°C / 57.9°F	06:06 / 17:10	64
28	20.1°C / 68.2°F	15.7°C / 60.3°F	06:06 / 17:09	68
29	18.4°C / 65.1°F	16.1°C / 61.0°F	06:07 / 17:08	78
30	20.9°C / 69.6°F	16.7°C / 62.1°F	06:08 / 17:07	61
31	20.1°C / 68.2°F	15.3°C / 59.5°F	06:09 / 17:06	69