Sichuan Climate & Weather

Briefing
Sichuan is located in the transitional zone between Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the eastern plains and therefore has complex and diverse climates with rather obvious regional differences and vertical changes. There are distinct disparities between east and west Sichuan as well.

The overall characteristics of Sichuan’s climate can be summarized as follows: monsoon climate is obvious and rain and heat happens in the same seasons; regional climate differences are prominent in that the east is characterized by warm winters, early springs, hot summers, rainy autumns, much cloud and fog, little sunshine and a long growing season while the west is characterized by coldness, long winters, almost no summer, sufficient sunshine, concentrated rainfall and distinct dry and rainy seasons; vertical climate changes are significant and climate types are varied; meteorological disasters happen in various forms with a high frequency and large scope, which are mainly droughts, rainstorms, floods and cold weather.

Tips for Sichuan Weather
• Best season to visit Sichuan:
The best time to travel in Sichuan is in spring and autumn, especially in February and March, July to October. Spring is dry in Sichuan lowlands and south area, with little but concentrated precipitation on the plateau. Summer is hot in Sichuan lowlands and south area, but on the plateau, there seems no summer. In July, the temperature has reached 25ºC to 29 ºC in the lowlands, 11 ºC to 17 ºC on the plateau, and 22 ºC to 26 ºC in the south. Autumn is rainy season in Sichuan lowlands and south area, but is with strong sunshine on the plateau. Winter is warm in Sichuan lowlands and south area, but a little cold on the plateau. In January, the temperature may be 3 ºC to 8 ºC in the lowlands, -9 ºC to 3 ºC on the plateau, and 8 ºC to 13 ºC in the south.

• Clothes for travelling:
The temperature difference between day and night in the scenic areas in Sichuan Province is big, and sunshine time is long; even if in summer, it is cool in the morning and evening and hot at noon. Please bring enough clothes to keep warm. In winter, if you go to the Xiling Snow Mountain or high altitude places in Sichuan, be sure to wear thick sweater and warm clothes, also you can bring down jacket.

• Avoid Peak Holidays
It is not a good idea to travel in China during Chinese holidays when huge numbers of Chinese people are travelling around. The busiest three national holidays in China are Chinese Spring Festival (usually in late Jan or early Feb.), International Labor Day (May 01 to 03) and National Day (Oct 01-07). Spring Festival is an especially crowded time to travel. The advantage of being in China at this time is that you will get the opportunity to experience "first hand" the significance of these celebrations in Chinese culture.

• Other Tips:
The weather in Sichuan is different in lowlands, on the plateau and in the south area, tourists should pay more attention to the climate of your destinations of your Sichuan Tour.

The sunshine in summer is so strong with ultraviolet ray. Tourists who take outdoor activities for long time should wear the sun hat, daub frost prevention, in order to protect the skin.

The northwestern Sichuan plateau area is high altitude, do not do some unfavorable drastic exercises, do not walk quickly, more can't run. Tourists had better take rain gear and commonly used drugs.