Climate Insights for Beijing

The climate in Beijing is cold. The average annual temperature is -9°C and approximately 354mm of precipitation falls per year. November is the wettest month, receiving around 33mm of rainfall. Beijing is in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer begins at the end of June and lasts through September. The summer months are: June, January, May. The coldest months are September, August, June, when temperatures can drop to -17°C. Beijing experiences heavy snowfall, typically from January through December.

Beijing sees moderate temperature variation throughout the year, ranging from -17°C to 0°C. June is the warmest month, though highs remain moderate at 0°C with a mean of -8°C. September brings the harshest conditions, with lows dropping to -17°C and an average temperature of -14°C. On average, daily temperatures fluctuate by about 9°C between overnight lows and afternoon highs. The sharpest temperature change occurs between September and October, with a 4°C shift in average temperatures.

Beijing is a quite dry location, receiving approximately 354mm of precipitation annually, which averages out to around 30mm per month. The wettest month is January, averaging 33mm of rainfall. February and May also tend to see above-average precipitation. The driest month is December, with just 15mm. Rainfall is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year, so there is no pronounced dry or wet season to plan around. Beijing receives heavy snowfall, accumulating around 354cm annually from January through December. The snowiest month is January, with approximately 33cm. Winter travel should account for significant snow cover.

Beijing is relatively calm, with an average annual wind speed of 11km/h. For context, sustained winds below 12km/h are generally light, while anything above 25km/h is considered strong. The windiest month is May, averaging 20km/h, though still comfortable for most outdoor activities. The calmest conditions occur in November, with average winds dropping to 4km/h, making it an ideal period for wind-sensitive activities. Wind speeds vary significantly across the year, with a 16km/h difference between the calmest and windiest months. This level of variation is worth factoring into travel plans. Wind tends to pick up during the summer months. The seasonal averages are 8km/h in winter, 16km/h in spring, 14km/h in summer, 6km/h in autumn.

It is currently summer in Beijing, which began on June 21, 2026. Beijing is in the Northern Hemisphere, where spring begins in March, summer in June, autumn in September, and winter in December. The warmest period peaks in June at around 0°C, while the coldest stretch bottoms out in September near -17°C. Autumn is next, beginning on September 23, 2026 — 18 days from now.

The table below shows monthly climate averages for Beijing based on historical weather data. Min and max temperatures represent typical overnight lows and afternoon highs for each month, shown in degrees Celsius (°C). Precipitation is measured in millimetres (mm) and indicates the average total rainfall per month. Snow is measured in centimetres (cm) and reflects average monthly snowfall accumulation. Wind speed is the average sustained speed in kilometres per hour (km/h). All values are based on averages from over 10 years of historical weather data. The current month is highlighted for quick reference.