Xinjiang Weather in April

In short: warm overall, dry with some winds
 In April, spring arrives in Xinjiang. The weather warms and the rivers thaw.

Southern Xinjiang, including Kashgar and Aksu, enjoys mild temperature throughout most of the day but a relatively large temperature gap between day and night. During the first a few days of the month, it hovers around 10-20°C (50-68°F), and thereafter, it rises to approximately 15-25°C (59-77°F). By late month, the daily high may even soar to around 30°C (86°F). However, note that the Pamir Plateau experiences lower temperature due to its high altitude.

Warm and Sunny Xinjiang in April

Sunny, Warm, and Dry Turpan in April

 Most areas in northern Xinjiang, such as Urumqi and Ili, have warm daytime temperature of around 15-20 degrees Celsius (59-68 degrees Fahrenheit). The temperature difference between day and night is approximately 10-15°C (18-27°F), so evenings remain cool and a windbreaker is needed. Altay experiences slightly cooler temperature, but daytime highs can generally reach around 15°C (59°F). Turpan, however, sees temperature even higher than most southern Xinjiang regions: except for the first a few days of the month, daytime highs are consistently around 25-30°C (77-86°F).
 Northern Xinjiang sees much spring rain. However, there is no need to worry about rain disrupting your travel plans, as total precipitation remains limited and light rain dominates. The only thing to note is that during rainy days, the temperature may drop suddenly, by as much as around 10°C (18°F). Southern Xinjiang regions like Kashgar and Hotan, along with Turpan and Hami in northern Xinjiang, have only a little precipitation, averaging no more than 10 mm in the whole month.

Judging from that, Xinjiang weather in April is very dry, especially in the southern regions.
 This month, winds are frequent across the whole Xinjiang. The difference lies in that it causes dusty weather in the southern region, resulting in low visibility and poor air quality. 
 In April, the sun rises at about 07:00-08:00 and sets at 20:30-22:00 in Xinjiang, contributing to 13 to 14 hours of daytime. You do have many day hours to travel around.

As for the sunshine hours, they are about 9 in northern Xinjiang, but 7-8 in southern Xinjiang, where dusty weather occurs frequently. The UV rays are pretty strong on sunny days, and sun protection measures are recommended to take.
 

 It depends on your destinations.

If you plan to visit southern Xinjiang, April can be a good month. First, the temperature is ideal for travel: warm during the day and not cold at night. Second, April marks the peak season to admire apricot blossoms across the Pamir Plateau. Datong Township, Tal Township, and Kukexiluke Township are all highly recommended destinations. Third, visitor numbers are relatively low during this period, allowing you to enjoy a quiet journey, whether visiting Baisha Lake to see the pristine white sand mountains and the deep blue lake or Kashgar to experience the unique ethnic minority culture. It’s true that dusty weather may impact outdoor travels, but you can check weather forecast to avoid it instead of missing out on this vibrant spring season.

View of Southern Xinjiang in April

If you plan to visit northern Xinjiang, April may not be the best month. Weather-wise, though it is also not cold most of the time, northern Xinjiang experiences more temperature fluctuations, which is mainly caused by spring rain. In terms of scenery, thick snow cover melts, while most grasslands haven’t turned green yet.
 1. If you plan to see the apricot blossoms in April 2026, be sure to check the blooming period in advance, which is quite short and varies somehow.
2. It’s advisable to check the weather forecast beforehand and schedule visits to natural landscapes on sunny days. The scenery varies significantly between cloudy and clear weather.

Sayram Lake on Clear Days

3. April remains off-season, with limited dining options within scenic areas, so you can bring some ready-to-eat food during your journey.
4. You will notice that sunrise and sunset times in Xinjiang occur later. This is actually an illusion caused by Xinjiang being located in the UTC+6 time zone while adopting UTC+8 hours. Therefore, keep in mind that your life routine like meal times in Xinjiang should be postponed by two hours.