Jinan Weather

Jinan has rather distinct four seasons, although spring and autumn are always short. Winter is sunny but cold and dry; summer is scorching, sweaty and a little humid; while spring and autumn are serene, bright and mild. As for precipitation, winter and spring have comparably low rainfall, while summer are characterized by frequent and intense showers. The most comfortable seasons for travel, like other northern Chinese cities, are spring from late March to May and autumn from September to early November. 
Temperatures in Jinan jump up and down throughout the year. The city is heating up in spring with noticeable diurnal temperature variation that you may experience all four seasons in a single day; Summer is unbearably hot, with highest temperatures even going beyond 40°C (104℉). Autumn is the most comfortable season, with clear skies and crisp air, and daytime highs of 15 - 20°C (59 - 68℉). Winter can be bone-chilling and dry, with biting north winds, and temperatures can drop to around -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) at its coldest. You have to bundle up tightly when going out. 

 The Hottest Month in Jinan
July with no doubt is the hottest month in Jinan with blistering and sweltering climate. When it’s sunny, without wind, it’s as hot as oven. Temperatures over 40°C are commonplace, while the perceived temperature is often 2 - 5°C (36 - 41℉) higher because of the burning sun. Even late at night or very early in the morning with the least heat waves, the temperature remains around 30°C (86℉). People cannot survive without air-conditioners. 

 The Coldest Month in Jinan
January, defeats December with its extremely low temperatures. The lows may plummet to -10°C (14℉) or even lower and even the highs are below freezing. What’s more, Jinan experiences frequent northerly winds in winter, which howl and penetrate clothing, making the perceived temperature even lower. Stepping outside feels like entering a freezer and your frosty breath may ice up your scarves. 

In stark contrast to the gelid weather, the hot spring water, which maintains a temperature of 18°C (64℉) year-round, never freezes and steams in the cold air of winter, showing a unique winter spectacle.
 Jinan receives approximately 700mm of rainfall annually. Over 65% of the precipitation occurs in June to August, the summer months, while the average monthly rainfall in winter is less than 10 mm. The frequent rainfall in summer causes the groundwater level to rise, resulting in springs churning more vigorously than in other times. Summer rainfall is mostly characterized by heavy showers accompanied by thunderstorms and winds, but few are prolonged continuous rain. 

Consequently, humidity is also the highest in summer, often surpassing 80% on rainy days. However, unlike in southern cities in China, it won’t cause muggy weather and you may even feel dry on sunny days. Winter is the driest season, especially in indoor places with central heating. The dry air may cause nose-bleeding, a sore throat and even flaky skin and clothes develop a static easily. A humidifier only helps a little. 

 Does it Snow in Jinan?
Yes, 2 - 3 snowfalls are expected from late November to February. One or two heavy snowfalls are anticipated and the snow melts after 3-5 days.

Abundant Sunshine All Year Round
The sun is never mean to Jinan. On average, Jinan enjoys an average of 7 to 8 hours of sunshine per day, around 2,500 hours annually. While summer receives frequent rainfall, the rain is short-lived and the sun shows up quickly. Winter does have several gloomy or foggy days, but mostly it’s sunny with clear skies. On most days, you hardly even see clouds.
 Two periods: late March to May in spring and September to early November in autumn, based both on the weather and sceneries. 

In terms of weather, both periods are neither too old nor too hot and the rainfall does not cause too many inconveniences to your trip. In summer from June to August, it’s so exhausting to beat the heat in summer that you could be in no mood to explore the city. In winter from December to February, the bitter wind blows into your clothes in extremely low temperatures and the city is not packed with things to do in this a little boring season. If you are eager to snow views, keep an eye on the weather forecast and try your luck.

In spring, flowers bloom in profusion and trees sprout at the time of hope, and the entire city comes alive. Cherry blossoms adorn the clear hot springs, creating a scene as beautiful as a cartoon. A boat trip on the moat is the best way to explore Jinan at this time. 

In autumn, after the abundant rains in summer, the groundwater level reaches its peak, and famous springs such as Baotu Spring and Black Tiger Spring gush forth with their most powerful flow. Late October to early November is time for autumn foliage. The maple leaves in places like Red Leaf Valley and Thousand Buddha Mountain are ablaze, and the golden ginkgo leaves at Lingyan Temple and Baotu Spring Park swirl in the wind - this is the golden time for photography and sightseeing.

Spring in Jinan sheds the harshness of winter, with temperatures rising gradually but fluctuating a lot, often with a diurnal temperature difference of 10℃. In March, mornings and evenings are still chilly. By May, the daily maximums soar to 28℃ (82℉), being a bit hot around noon but still requires extra layers in the early mornings and evenings. In the overall warm weather, willow branches sprout early, and flowers kissed by the sun compete in beauty and fascination.

Jinan weather in Spring is mainly sunny with ample sunshine, but a little dry. Precipitation is low and rainy days are sparse, with seasonal rainfall accounting for about 100mm. 
  Clothes: a thick coat with a light sweater and insulating pants for March, a light jacket with shirts and jeans for April, shirts and sweatpants for May
 Shoes: comfortable sneakers or casual shoes
 Others: masks and antihistamines for allergy sufferers since flying catkins may trigger allergies.
 The city is awakening with warming up weather. Willows sprout along Baotu Spring, wild ducks flutter across Daming Lake and types of flowers toss their heads in breezy winds. The clear, emerald-green spring water and the colorful spring flowers are what make Jinan unique. Taking a sightseeing boat to travel through the springs, old downtown area and flowers and willows is the well-received way to explore the city.
 Summer in Jinan is hot and long, and as you can imagine, high temperatures are the norm. The average daily temperature in June is around 25℃ (77℉), while July and August see the peak of summer, with highs often exceeding 35℃ and even surpassing 40℃ (104℉). The midday sun is intense. Although temperatures may briefly drop after the rain, and the air becomes fresh and humid, the heat quickly returns. However, the springs dotted in the whole city is the excellent natural coolers. Under the shade of trees, the murmuring spring water brings a refreshing coolness. 

Rainfall is mostly in the form of torrential rain and thunderstorms, rapid and heavy, easily causing flooding on city streets. Fortunately, it usually doesn’t last long. Mid-July to mid-August is the rainiest period. 
  Clothes: your coolest summer clothes
 Shoes: sandals and slippers
 Others: sunhat, sunglasses and sun cream
  Drink the spring water at Black Tiger Spring Park or on Quancheng Road to quench your thirst, and play water in Baotu Spring Park and Wulongtan Park to get some coolness. 
 A vast area of lotus flowers at Daming Lake bloom in June. 
 In the evening, enjoying a cup of tea brewed with spring water on Qushuiting Street is a unique Jinan chill time. 
 Stepping into the autumn, temperatures gradually decrease. While September still sees relatively high temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86℉), mornings and evenings are cool, with temperatures of 17 - 25°C (63-77℉). From October onwards, high temperatures steadily drop to comfortably around 20°C (68℉). In early November, lows range from 8 to 13°C (46 - 55℉), and the chilliness of early winter emerges. Jinan’s crisp coolness in autumn provides excellent weather for appreciating springs and leaf peeping.

The weather is predominantly sunny with high visibility, dry air, and light breezes. Rainfall is below average, mostly consisting of short-lived showers or scattered light rain, and becomes even scarcer after November. 
 Clothes: a wool coat with a hoodie or cardigan and insulating pants; a light down coat is needed in seemingly wintry early November.
Shoes: lightweight sneakers, and hiking boots if you plan to climb mountains for admiring autumn leaves
  Autumn Foliage
The vegetation on Thousand Buddha Mountain and Fohui Mountain is ablaze with orange-red and golden hues. Golden ginkgo leaves in Lingyan Temple attract viewers and worshippers yearly. 

 Gushing Springs
Daming Lake ripples with golden waves in the gloam and the springs, free from the summer rains, appear even clearer. Baotu Spring, Pearl Spring, and Mo Spring, among others, reach their peak flow in October and November, gushing forth like boiling water. Autumn is one of the best seasons to visit Jinan. 
 Jinan experiences serious coldness and dryness in winter. The recorded lowest temperature in the coldest month is -12℃ (10℉). The prevailing northwest winds make the perceived temperature lower than the actual air temperature. On sunny days, the air is super dry, easily causing flaky skin.

Precipitation is extremely scarce, accounting for only 30-70mm, primarily in the form of light to moderate snow, and dense fog occasionally appears in the early morning due to temperature inversions. 
  The springs like Baotu Spring, Black Tiger Spring and Pearl Spring never ice up and steam in the cold air and the groundwater are always been squeezed out to rich the spring pools. 
  If you have extra days after visiting the iconic spring parks and Daming Lake, it can be a good choice to pay a visit to Jiuru Mountain. Icefalls and ice pillars cascade down like curtains. Among the icefalls, there are small houses encased in translucent ice crystals, like the dwellings of fairies in a snowy world. The fluffy vegetation is covered with snowflakes and you may also see soft rime on trees and branches.
  Frigid winter invites several snowfalls with sugar powder snow flakes. If you are lucky enough to come across a snowy day, the ancient buildings at Daming Lake and Mingshui Ancient Town wrapped with snow won’t disappoint you.
 Clothes: a down coat with warm inner layers and pants with thermal underwear;
Shoes: snow boots;
Others: a hat, a scarf and a pair of gloves; moisturizing face cream, lip balm and body lotion.