Short answer: March to May and October to November are the easiest months: mostly dry, mild by day and before or after the summer rains. Winter (December to February) is sunny and fine for Kunming, Dali and Xishuangbanna, but nights are close to freezing in Lijiang and well below it in Shangri-La. The rainy season runs roughly from late May to mid-October and brings about 85% of the year's rain, often hiding the snow peaks.
Yunnan is high and big, so the same month feels very different from place to place. Use the table to see each town's normal temperatures, then read the season that matches your dates.
Average temperatures, month by month
Average daily high and low in °C, and the average number of days with rain in Lijiang.
| Month | Kunming 1,890 m | Dali 1,980 m | Lijiang 2,380 m | Shangri-La 3,340 m | Jinghong 580 m | Rain days, Lijiang |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 / 4 | 16 / 3 | 14 / 1 | 7 / −9 | 26 / 12 | 2 |
| Feb | 19 / 6 | 18 / 5 | 16 / 3 | 8 / −6 | 30 / 13 | 4 |
| Mar | 22 / 9 | 21 / 8 | 18 / 6 | 10 / −2 | 32 / 15 | 5 |
| Apr | 24 / 12 | 23 / 11 | 21 / 9 | 13 / 1 | 33 / 19 | 7 |
| May | 25 / 15 | 25 / 14 | 23 / 12 | 17 / 5 | 33 / 21 | 12 |
| Jun | 25 / 17 | 26 / 17 | 25 / 15 | 20 / 9 | 32 / 23 | 18 |
| Jul | 25 / 18 | 25 / 17 | 23 / 15 | 19 / 11 | 31 / 23 | 24 |
| Aug | 25 / 17 | 25 / 16 | 23 / 14 | 19 / 10 | 31 / 23 | 23 |
| Sep | 24 / 16 | 24 / 15 | 22 / 13 | 18 / 9 | 31 / 22 | 20 |
| Oct | 21 / 13 | 22 / 12 | 20 / 9 | 15 / 2 | 30 / 20 | 11 |
| Nov | 19 / 8 | 19 / 7 | 17 / 4 | 12 / −5 | 28 / 17 | 3 |
| Dec | 16 / 5 | 17 / 4 | 15 / 1 | 9 / −9 | 25 / 14 | 1 |
Checked in October 2026. China Meteorological Administration averages for 1991–2020; any single year can be warmer, colder or wetter.
These are town figures. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain's glacier park, at about 4,500 m, is far colder than Lijiang on the same day, so take a warm jacket whatever the month.
December to February: dry, sunny, cold at night
- Weather: the driest time of year, with clear skies. Kunming and Dali reach about 16–19 °C by day but drop to 3–6 °C at night. Lijiang nights hover around freezing, and Shangri-La goes down to about −9 °C.
- Best for: the black-headed gulls on Kunming's lakes, which stay through the winter; clear views of the snow peaks; Xishuangbanna, which is warm and dry. The Yuanyang rice terraces hold water from about late November, with January to March the most popular time.
- Watch out for: Chinese New Year (6 February in 2027), when trains, hotels and sights fill up across China. Heavy snow sometimes disrupts roads around Shangri-La between November and March.
March to April: flowers and warm days
- Weather: still mostly dry and getting warmer: about 21–24 °C by day in Kunming and Dali. Shangri-La nights are still around freezing. Jinghong is hot, about 32–33 °C in the afternoon.
- Best for: Kunming's cherry blossom in early March; the canola fields at Luoping from about late February to mid-March; and the snow on Jade Dragon, which travel guides say is deepest around March.
- Watch out for: the Water-Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna on 13–15 April, when Jinghong is packed; book trains as soon as sales open. Qingming, in early April, is a short national holiday.
May: the last dry weeks, and a busy start
- Weather: warm everywhere, with the rains usually starting in the last third of the month. Shangri-La finally feels mild by day, about 17 °C.
- Best for: rhododendrons in the highlands, flowering from mid-April lower down and into May and June around Shangri-La.
- Watch out for: the May Day break (1–5 May in 2026), one of the busiest weeks of the year.
June to September: the rainy season
- Weather: green, mild and wet. Lijiang has rain on about 18–24 days a month, usually as afternoon or evening showers rather than all day. It's not hot: Kunming stays around 25 °C.
- Best for: wild-mushroom season, green terraces and meadows, and escaping heat elsewhere in Asia.
- Watch out for: cloud hiding Jade Dragon and other snow peaks; travel guides say the mountain has the least snow in July and August. Heavy rain can close mountain roads and sights for a while; in 2026 the Tiger Leaping Gorge scenic area closed temporarily from 31 July after rockfalls. July and August are also Chinese school holidays, so popular sights are crowded.
October: clearing skies, autumn colours
- Weather: the rains usually end by mid-October. Days are about 20–22 °C in Kunming, Dali and Lijiang; Shangri-La nights drop close to freezing by the end of the month.
- Best for: autumn colours around Shangri-La from early October to early November, and the first gulls returning to Kunming from mid-October.
- Watch out for: National Day week, 1–7 October, the busiest travel week of the year. If you can, arrive after it.
November: dry, clear and quiet
- Weather: dry again, with clear mornings. About 17–19 °C by day in Kunming, Dali and Lijiang; Shangri-La goes down to about −5 °C at night.
- Best for: clear mountain views with few crowds, and the start of the Yuanyang water season late in the month.
- Watch out for: very little; this is one of the best-value months.
What to pack
- All year: layers, a warm jacket for evenings and the snow mountain, sunscreen and sunglasses; the sun is strong at altitude.
- December to March: a proper winter coat, hat and gloves for Lijiang and Shangri-La. Many guesthouses have thin walls; ask about heating or electric blankets.
- June to September: a light rain jacket and shoes that dry fast.
Going high? Read Shangri-La without altitude sickness. For festivals by month, see our festival calendar.
Sources
- China Meteorological Administration 1991–2020 climate averages for Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La and Jinghong (via the climate tables on Wikipedia, retrieved 24 October 2026).
- Yunnan Meteorological Bureau and the Yunnan agriculture department: rainy season May to October with about 85% of the year's rain; Yunnan climate bulletin and Kunming Meteorological Bureau on normal start and end dates.
- State Council holiday notice for 2026 (Xinhua, 4 November 2025); 2027 Lunar New Year date from the Hong Kong government's 2027 holiday list. The 2027 mainland break dates had not been published when we checked.
- Gulls, cherry blossom, Yuanyang water season and the Water-Splashing Festival from China Daily, People's Daily and Xinhua reports (2023–2026); Luoping canola, autumn colours, rhododendrons and Jade Dragon snow from travel guides.
