Beijing Weather

Beijing Climate & Best Time to Visit Beijing

The climate in Beijing is of the continental type, with cold and dry winters, due to the Siberian air massses that move southward across the Mongolian Plateau. The summers are hot owing to warm and humid monsoon winds from the southeast bringing Beijing most of its annual precipitation. January is the coldest month and July is the warmest. Winter usually begins towards the end of October. The summer months, June to August, are wet and hot with about 40% of the annual precipitation.

The best season to visit Beijing is probably autumn. Summer (June to August) is considered peak season, when hotels typically raise their rates and the Great Wall nearly collapses under the weight of marching tourists. Autumn months (September to November) have the best weather and fewer tourists. Spring is less pleasant - not many tourists but lots of wind and dust (northwesterly winds blow in masses of fine loess from Mongolia). In winter, you'll have Beijing to yourself and many hotels offer substantial discounts - just remember it's an ice box outside. Everything is chock-a-block during the Chinese New Year (in January or February). Have a look at our top 10 Beijing tours and choose your time of travel.

Clothes for traveling: In spring and autumn, jeans and a sweater are usually enough. In the warmer months, T-shirts and light pants or shorts are the best bet. In the colder months, it is wise to dress in layers: long underwear and jeans, shirt, sweater and down jacket. If you want to go local, you can buy a thick cotton army coat (jun da yi) for less than 100 yuan. Rain gear is necessary, especially during the summer months.