January in Shanghai — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.7/10January averages 6°C (42°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 53 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 2 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.2 hours of daylight.
It scores 5.7/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 7.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? May scores 2.2 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
February in Shanghai — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.6/10February averages 6°C (43°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
At 111 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 3 days with 6+ hours of sunshine in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 4.6/10 here, 9th of 12 months, against 7.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? May scores 3.3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
March in Shanghai — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 6.4/10Expect 12°C (53°F) in March. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
112 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 13 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 6.4/10 on the same scale — 4th of 12 months, versus 7.9/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, May is materially better in Shanghai — 1.5 points higher on the same scale.
April in Shanghai: strong conditions, 3rd of 12
Good · 7/10April averages 17°C (62°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
At 130 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 16 days with 6+ hours of sunshine in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 7/10 here, 3rd of 12 months, against 7.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
May in Shanghai tops the year's climate scores
Best window · 7.9/10At 21°C (69°F) this is comfortable city weather in May, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
108 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 22 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Shanghai at 7.9/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Expect peak pricing, and crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
June in Shanghai — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.4/10June averages 26°C (78°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
253 mm of rain puts this in monsoon territory — about 16 days with 6+ hours of sunshine across the whole month, and multi-day washouts are normal.
It scores 4.4/10 here, 10th of 12 months, against 7.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? May scores 3.5 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
July in Shanghai: expect compromises
Hardest · 3.5/10July averages 30°C (86°F) and humidity near 82%, so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
Monthly rainfall reaches 159 mm — wet for this destination — but about 22 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.
It scores 3.5/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 7.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? May scores 4.4 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
August in Shanghai — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.9/10Days in August average 30°C (87°F) and humidity near 77% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
Budget for roughly 83 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13.1 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 4.9/10 on the same scale — 8th of 12 months, versus 7.9/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, May is materially better in Shanghai — 3 points higher on the same scale.
September in Shanghai: expect compromises
Hardest · 4.1/10Days in September average 26°C (80°F) and humidity near 80% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
196 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 13 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 4.1/10 on the same scale — 11th of 12 months, versus 7.9/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, May is materially better in Shanghai — 3.8 points higher on the same scale.
October holds up well in Shanghai — 2nd best month
Good · 7.4/10October averages 20°C (68°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Rainfall runs 74 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 9 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.2 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.4/10 here, 2nd of 12 months, against 7.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a packable rain layer.
November in Shanghai — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 6.1/10November averages 15°C (59°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
At 118 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 4 days with 6+ hours of sunshine in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 6.1/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 7.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? May scores 1.8 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
December in Shanghai: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 6.3/10Expect 6°C (43°F) in December. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
With around 32 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; about 1 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10 hours of daylight fill the rest.
That is 6.3/10 on the same scale — 5th of 12 months, versus 7.9/10 for the best month here.
Budget for peak pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in.
If your dates are flexible, May is materially better in Shanghai — 1.6 points higher on the same scale.
