China Weather in May

Season: Spring

May is the last month of springin China with pleasant weather.The temperature goes up quickly and it is becoming warmer and warmer and the rainy season does not come yet. Generally, it is one of the best months to travel throughout China. 
 
 The coldest cities in China in May: 
Harbin: 8°C (46 °F), Changchun: 9°C(48 °F), Yinchuan: 10°C (50°F), Hohhot: 8°C (46 °F)
 
 The hottest cities in China in May:
Sanya: 32°C (90 °F), Nanjing: 32°C (90 °F), Wuhan: 33°C (91 °F), Chongqing:34°C (93 °F)

 See more: Spring in China – Weather & Tour Tips
 
Averages for China Weather in May
High Temp
25°C (77°F)
Low Temp
14°C (57°F)
Rainfall
101 mm (4 in)
Sunrise
04:48 ~ 05:15
Sunset
19:09 ~ 19:37

The times for sunrise and sunset are based on Beijing.
 

What to Wear

Clothes to wear in China in Mayare mainly decided by where you go. The temperature of southern China goes up more quickly than that of northern China and people may feel hot in some southern cities, such as Guangzhou and Hong Kong, so they can consider wearingthe T-shirt, dress and shorts; people may feel warm or cool in some northern cities, such as Beijing, so blouse, shirt and light pants are necessary, especially at night. What to wear in China in May is subject to the weather condition.
China Clothes in May May Wear in China


 

May Travel Guide - Where to Go & Tips

Tourism Rate:     
 
Badaling Great Wall
Beijing Badaling Great Wall in May
May is a don’t-miss and no-limit month that you can choose to travel to China due to its pleasant climate. Guilin, Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Yunnan, Luoyang… are nice destinations to choose for a visit in such comfortable May. You can appreciate thegorgeous Karst peaks, clear water and rice paddies on the cruise ship of Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo or get the full green view when standing on Great Wall in Beijing. Strolling in the traditional classical garden - Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai or walking along the Ancient City Wall in Xi'an, one can learn rich culture of China. In Chengdu or Chongqing, you can have a full taste of various local delicate foods and have close encounters with the cute pandas. 
 
Read more about Top 6 Travel Destinations in May in China
 

China Regional Weather in May

 

Beijing & Northeast China

Major Destinations: Beijing, Tianjin, Harbin, Dalian, Shenyang, Inner Mongolia…
Temperatures: 14 - 26°C (57 - 79°F)
 
The weather in May in Northeast China is neither too hot nor too cold in the daytime with less rainfall. In Beijing, you can ascend the Great Wall to see the vibrant spring scenery full of green grass and wild flowers on the mountains; or relax yourself by boating on the Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace and watch the locals do morning exercise in Temple of Heaven. In Dalian, you can take a sea voyage to see gulls…
 
Clothing: shirt, thin jacket, light pants…
 

Shanghai & East China 

Major Destinations: Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), Nanchang, Fujian, Shandong…
Temperatures: 16 - 23°C (61- 73°F) 
 
There are more rainy days in this month and remember to take an umbrella with you when traveling outside. But you won’t feel cold even if it rains. When it is sunny, you can do more outdoor activities, such as appreciating the exotic buildings in the Bund of Shanghai, beautiful traditional gardens in Suzhou and ancient water towns in Yangtze River delta. One of the must-see places is Yellow Mountain with the new green.
 
Clothing: T-shirts, dress, light trousers, jacket…
 

Xi’an & Central China

Major Destinations: Xi’an, Chengdu, Luoyang, Zhangjiajie, Wuhan, Yangtze River…
Temperatures: 18 - 26°C (64 - 79°F) 
 
With less rainfall and comfortable China climate in May, travel to the Central China is quite worthwhile in this month. You can climb the Mount Huashan or visit Terracotta Army in Xi’an, taste the delicacies in Chengdu, visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park or Leshan Giant Buddha in Sichuan or take a Yangtze River cruise to see the amazing scenery along its three gorges.
 
Clothing: blouse, shirt, T-shirts, shorts, thin jacket, light trousers…
Yangtze River Cruise
Yangtze River Cruise
Terracotta Army
Terracotta Army in Xi'an

South China

Major Destinations: Guilin, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hainan…
Temperatures: 20 - 27°C (68 - 81°F) 
 
Actually, the temperatures in May in South China are high at daytime, even up to 30°C (86 °F) or so, and people even feel a little hot, like in early summer. There are so many tourism resources in this region that are suitable to be visited in May, such as the Li River and Longji Rice Terraces in Guangxi, Disneyland in Hong Kong, Erhai Lake and Lijiang Ancient Town in Yunnan…
 
Clothing: T-shirts, shorts, lightpants, dress…
 

West China

Major Destinations: Tibet, Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai…
Temperatures: 6 - 20°C (43 - 68°F)
 
With warm sunshine you won’t feel hot in May in West China, so it is one of the suitable months to take a tour to western areas or cities; there is a big temperature difference between day and night so remember to take different clothes with you. Why not see the blue sky, green grass, colorful flowers and clear water in this region? Namtso Lake and Everest Base Camp in Tibet, Qinghai Lake … are all great choices.
 
Clothing: windbreaker, thin sweater, cap, sunglasses…
 
 

May Weather of Major Chinese Cities

May Temperature Sunrise / Sunset Humidity
(%)
High
Low
Beijing 26°C / 79°F 14°C / 57°F 04:48/ 19:37 53
Changsha   
26°C / 79°F 18°C / 64°F 05:31/ 19:20 52
Chengdu   26°C / 79°F 17°C / 63°F  06:02/ 20:01 75
Chongqing    27°C / 81°F 19°C / 66°F  05:55/ 19:49 78
Guangzhou   29°C / 84°F 23°C / 73°F  5:41/ 19:09 84
Guilin   27°C /81°F 20°C / 68°F 05:49/ 19:10 81
Guiyang     26°C / 79°F 18°C / 64°F 06:00/ 19:41 76
Hangzhou  26°C / 79°F 17°C / 63°F  04:19/ 18:56 76
Harbin   21°C / 70°F  8°C / 46°F  03:48/ 19:15 51
Hohhot   23°C / 73°F  8°C / 46°F  05:04/ 19:57 39
Hong Kong   29°C / 84°F 24°C / 75°F  05:39/ 19:03 82
Huangshan  15°C / 59°F  9°C / 48°F 05:06/ 19:01  80
Kunming   24°C / 75°F  14°C / 57°F 06:19/ 19:55 68
Lhasa  20°C / 68°F 6°C / 43°F  06:56/ 20:51 44
Lijiang   23°C / 73°F 11°C / 52°F  06:25/ 20:08  59
Luoyang  27°C / 81°F 15°C / 59°F  05:19/ 19:38  /
Nanjing    26°C / 79°F 16°C / 61°F 06:01/ 19:27 74
Pingyao   26°C / 79°F 10°C / 50°F  05:12/ 19:44 52
Qingdao   20°C / 68°F 13°C / 55°F 04:43/ 19:09 72
Sanya 32°C / 90°F  26°C / 79°F  06:05/ 19:14  /
Shanghai 24°C / 75°F 16°C / 61°F 04:51/ 18:53 74
Shenzhen    29°C / 84°F 23°C / 73°F  05:39/ 19:04 80
Suzhou  24°C / 75°F 16°C / 61°F 05:48/ 18:16  71
Tianjin     26°C / 79°F 15°C / 59°F 04:47/ 19:30 55
Urumqi   24°C / 75°F 12°C / 54°F  06:30/ 21:40  43
Wuhan      26°C / 79°F  18°C / 64°F 05:21/ 19:20 77
Xiamen  27°C / 81°F  20°C / 68°F  05:18/ 18:51  84
Xi'an    26°C / 79°F  14°C / 57°F 05:34/ 19:51  68
Zhangjiajie   27°C / 81°F  18°C / 64°F  05:40/ 19:32 77
Zhengzhou     27°C / 81°F 15°C /59 °F 05:13/ 19:32 62
- Last updated on Jul. 23, 2024 by Brenda Lian -
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