Xining Climate

Xining Weather and Climate describes information with temperature, precipitation, Geography, What Clothes to Wear in Xining, weather and climate by month, climate graph, 15 days Xining weather forecast. Find out the best time to visit Xining and see the season highlights in Xining. It also tells you what to wear in different seasons and Clothes packing for your Trip to Xining.

Xining Weather and Climate Feature

Xinning enjoys cold steppe climate and has  also been dubbed the Summer Resort Capital of China owing to its cool summer.  Xining is located at a high altitude in the province of Qinghai. Because there are only few clouds the sun shines exuberantly here. Xining gets more hours of annual sunshine than other places in China. Nights are cold or cool throughout the year, and the diurnal temperature variation often reaches or exceeds 15 °C. The monthly 24-hour average temperatures ranges from −7.4 °C (18.7 °F) in January to 17.3 °C (63.1 °F) in July;  the annual mean is 6.10 °C (43.0 °F), still making it one of the warmest locations in Qinghai due to the low elevation by provincial standards.

Average Temperature in Xining

The warmest month (with the highest average high temperature) is July (24.6°C). The month with the lowest average high temperature is January (1.4°C).

The month with the highest average low temperature is July (11.5°C). The coldest month (with the lowest average low temperature) is January (-13.6°C).

Average Rainfall in Xining

The wettest month (with the highest rainfall) is July (88.2mm). Driest months (with the lowest rainfall) are January and December (1.2mm). Meanwhile, the month with the highest number of rainy days is July (15 days), and the month with the lowest number of rainy days is December (2.2 days).

Average Daylight / Average Sunshine in Xining

The month with the longest days is June (Average daylight: 14.6h). The month with shortest days is December (Average daylight: 9.7h). The month with most sunshine is May (Average sunshine: 8.2h). The month with least sunshine is December (Average sunshine: 6.5h).

 Xining Travel Weather and Climate by Month

Four Seasons in Xining and What to Wear

Xining belongs to plateau climate region, with long cold winter, shorter spring, cool summer and autumn. In Xining, the summers are comfortable and partly cloudy and the winters are freezing, dry, and mostly clear. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 6°F to 75°F and is rarely below -1°F or above 84°F. 

Spring (March through May)

  • Weather: Humidity and temperatures combine to make this season feel moderately cold. Highs range from 70.3°F (21.3°C) and 45.5°F (7.5°C) with warmer temperatures in the later months. Rain is rare with 1 to 7 days of significant precipitation per month.
    What to Wear: Spring in Xining is still chilly in the morning and at late night, coat, jacket, sweater, thick pants are needed.
    Things to Do: Spring is the busiest for tourism, which makes it a good time for spring outings to local parks, such as Xining Botanical Garden and Huangshui Forest Park, etc.

Summer (June through August)

  • Weather: The middle-year months have comfortably cool weather with high temperatures that are comfortable. These months see the most precipitation with 8 to 10 days of precipitation per month.
    What to Wear: Summer is the most pleasant season in Xining, with comfortable weather. Tourists may need to carry sun scream, hat, and thin clothes.
    Things to Do: It is the best time to visit Xining, all the attractions such as mosques and historical and cultural sites are waiting for exploration, short trip to countryside is also a good choice. June – August is the slowest season for tourism in Xining, so lodging and other accommodations may cost less than usual.

Autumn (September through November)

  • Weather: Fall daily highs range from 67.9°F (19.9°C) and 43.9°F (6.6°C), which will feel chilly given the humidity and wind. It rains or snows a significant amount: 1 to 8 days per month. 
    What to Wear: Long pants, sweater, coat and down jacket is needed in late autumn.
    Things to Do: If you travel to Xining in late October, maybe you may encounter a beautiful snow covered land if you are lucky. Tourism is fairly slow during these months due to the weather, so hotels may be lower priced.

Winter (December through February)

  • Weather: Weather is far too cold this time of year in Xining to be enjoyable for warm weather travelers. The average high during this season is between 47.9°F (8.8°C) and 34.1°F (1.2°C). On average, it rains or snows a insignificant amount: consistently 0 times per month. 
    What to Wear: Winter in Xining is cold, so you’d better prepare more warm clothes with you during this period.
    Things to Do: These times of year are the second busiest with tourists. It is the best time for skiing and other activities at Ice and Snow Fetsival, local folk festivals are also the attractiveness in this season.

The Best Time to Visit Xining

Summer is the best time to visit Xining. Summer in Xining is cool, with the daily average temperature lower than 17 centigrade. It is a good place to escape the unforgiving heat during summer time. You can enjoy a cool summer when you go to Xining and visit Qinghai Lake. The period from May to Sep. with the most weather condition is the best time to visit. The spring scenery in Xining is fine in May. Bird islands on Qinghai Lake are full of migratory birds flying from the south. It is a good time for Xining Birding Tours. Except the comfortable weather condition, many of the region's colorful festivals occurs this time.

In July, Xining enjoys a comfortable climate and is also the best season for watching the rape flower in Xining, with the rape blossoming covering the hills and fields, golden and brilliant. July and August is a good time to visit Qinghai Lake. The lake is beautiful with mountains and lakes. Both sides are golden and beautiful. The annual Qinghai Lake International Road Cycling Race will also be held at this time. 

More about The Best Time to Visit Xining

Avoid Public Holidays in Xining

Try to avoid the public holidays of China, such as May Day Holiday(May 1-3), National Day Holiday(October 1-7), Spring Festival Holiday(Usually early February), Qingming Festival(in early April), Dragon Boat Festival(in June). Spring festival and national day festival are the most crowded time to travel. During these holidays, there will be a large crowd in the tourist attractions and you can't really enjoy yourself. Flights and hotels can cost three times as much than usual, and it's hard to get tickets during the Spring Festival. Generally speaking, June – August is the busiest season for tourism in Xining, so lodging and other accommodations may cost more than usual.

More about Chinese National Holidays

Edited by Brittany Tian/田春燕

Xining Climate by Region

Qinghai Climate by Region