Shigatse Climate
Situated in the southwest Qinghai Tibet Plateau and Tibet Autonomous Region, Shigatse has an average high elevation of 4,000 meters. Yarlung Zangbo River and Nianqu River rejoin in Shigatse, and creates vast river valleys and fertile plains, which gives Shigatse a warm and sunny climate. It features thin air, strong ultraviolet, low air pressure, less oxygen than flat areas.
Shigatse Weather
The weather of Shigatse has distinctive wet and dry seasons, with the rainy season running from around June to the end of September, and the dry season from October to May. July and August are the two rainest months in Shigatse, but most of the rainfall is concentrated at night and in the late evening. This makes the day warm and sunny, though a little wet.
The year begins in the dry season, and January and February are the driest months of the year, without rain. The average temperature is about 0 to 3 degrees during the day and-10 to -12 degrees at night. From March to May, spring comes to Shigatse, temperature begins to rise and the likelihood of rain increased slightly. However, the average monthly rainfall is only 4-5 mm, and rarely during the day. The temperature rises slightly, but it is still cold at night, as low as minus 5 degrees. The daytime is warmer, the spring is sunny, and the daytime temperature is between 5 and 10 degrees on average.
June and July are two wetter months as the dry season draws to an end and the rainy season begins. Temperature actually peaks in July, with average daytime temperature around 23-24 degrees. However, night temperature is 6-9 degrees, the temperature difference between day and night is still relatively large. Like most part of Tibet, most of the rain falls at night because the Himalayas block Indian monsoon. August is the wettest month of the year, with an average monthly rainfall of about 146 millimeters. The more likely it is to rain during the day, the wetter and more muddy the roads and tracks will become, which may affect traffic in some remote areas of Shigatse. Temperature begins to drop slightly in August, with a daily average of around 15 degrees.
From September to November, rainfall decreases and temperature drops steadily. Temperatures range from about 12 degrees in September to 2-3 degrees in November, and as temperatures fall, the night begins to get colder. December is the beginning of winter, and temperature has really fallen low, with the average daytime temperature ranging from 0 to -3 degrees. The night is even colder, and the temperature is as low as minus 10 degrees. But there is no rain, and the weather is dry and sunny.
Best Time to Visit
Shigatse is a semi-arid, plateau temperate monsoon climate. Temperatures range from 23℃(73.4 degrees Fahrenheit) to -25℃(-13 degrees Fahrenheit), annual average temperature of 6.3℃(43.34 degrees Fahrenheit). From November to April in the next year, it is unsuitable for travelling to Shigatse because of the low temperature. June to July is considered as a mild rainy season. During this time, it often rains in the evening. If you're going to visit Mount Everest in Shigatse, April to June and September to October are the best time.
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Best Time to Visit Mount Everest
Travel Tips
1. Due to high altitude, the climate in Shigatse is very hard. The weather is often dry, in part because of long sunshine duration. Because of strong solar radiation, you should prepare sunscreen, sunglasses and lipstick to protect yourself from UV hurt. Therefore, sunscreen lotion, sunshade(if it can prevent snow blindness, the effect will be better) and lipstick are very necessary.
2. The temperature difference between day and night is large. In the daytime, high temperatures can lead to heat stroke, especially at noon, and low temperatures at night may cause people to catch colds. Therefore, warm and windproof clothes is recommended.
3. You should consider the local climate and geographical location before going to Shigatse, and medicines for altitude sickness and cold should included in any travel kit.
4. Do remember from October 1st to October 7th is the one-week long national holiday, coupled with Shigatse is one of the major destinations for domestic and international tourists travelling to Tibet, it could be extremely crowded.
