Weather in Shanghai in December
December in Shanghai is cool outdoor weather: usable if you dress for it, not a beach brief.
In China, this is how Shanghai actually wears December, not how a country centroid would. Compared with August and January, December sits in the middle of Shanghai's year.
Pack for Shanghai in December, not for a brochure that was photographed in another season.
- Average temp
- 8°C
5–12°C
- Rainfall
- 43 mm
Not much rain
- Sunshine
- 4.1 h
hours per day
What to expect
Daytime
Cool days in Shanghai: a jumper you can take off, a shell in the bag. Walking is fine. Lingering outside without a layer is optimism.
Mornings and evenings are colder than the postcard. Pack for both, especially if you leave the built-up centre.
Rain
December is on the drier side of the year in Shanghai. Showers are possible. They do not define the month.
A shell that lives in the bag is enough. This is not June, and it should not be packed as if it were.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in Shanghai
Dates are a starting point for December.
Travel guides for Shanghai
What to read before you book.
Average weather in Shanghai
TemperatureRainfall
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FAQs about Shanghai
Climate averages for Shanghai, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit Shanghai is between April and June, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
July is the hottest month, with an average around 30°C.
August is the wettest month, with about 216 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
