China

What's the weather like in China in January?

China is a vast country with diverse landscapes, meaning there’s lots of different kinds of weather each month, from region to region. It’s winter in January and most of China has cold weather which you’ll need to come prepared for. Make sure you pack a warm, thick coat, along with a hat, scarf, gloves and plenty of warm layers. Northern and eastern regions, including the capital Beijing, are bitterly cold and windy, but dry at this time of year, while temperatures are a bit warmer in coastal Shanghai.

Averages

In Beijing, the average temperature’s a freezing -4ºC in January, reaching highs of 2ºC and lows of -9ºC. Winter is the driest period of the year for the city, which expects just a few millimetres of rain this month. It does usually snow a couple of times each winter though. Shanghai is wetter in January, with around 40mm of rain forecast over the course of 11 days. The city generally stays above freezing, with average highs of 8ºC and lows of 0ºC.