Changsha climate
Changsha (Hunan, China) has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). The average temperature over the year is 18 °C64 °F, and about 1,560 mm61 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Changsha climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1050 | 133 | 542 | 692.7 | 13 |
| Feb | 1356 | 438 | 947 | 913.6 | 6 |
| Mar | 1865 | 846 | 1356 | 1515.9 | 1 |
| Apr | 2475 | 1356 | 1965 | 1807.1 | 0 |
| May | 2882 | 1865 | 2373 | 2218.7 | 0 |
| Jun | 3086 | 2272 | 2679 | 2389.4 | 0 |
| Jul | 3290 | 2577 | 2983 | 1626.4 | 0 |
| Aug | 3290 | 2475 | 2883 | 1254.9 | 0 |
| Sep | 3085 | 2068 | 2577 | 923.6 | 0 |
| Oct | 2577 | 1457 | 1967 | 712.8 | 0 |
| Nov | 1966 | 847 | 1356 | 1014.0 | 0 |
| Dec | 1254 | 235 | 745 | 602.4 | 8 |
| Year | 3290 | 133 | 1864 | 1,56061 | 28 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total. Frost days are for the whole grid cell.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79% | 75% | 1.8 | 10:32 |
| Feb | 79% | 78% | 2.1 | 11:10 |
| Mar | 80% | 76% | 2.8 | 11:55 |
| Apr | 80% | 77% | 3.6 | 12:48 |
| May | 81% | 78% | 3.9 | 13:32 |
| Jun | 84% | 80% | 4.2 | 13:55 |
| Jul | 83% | 71% | 5.2 | 13:46 |
| Aug | 82% | 68% | 4.7 | 13:08 |
| Sep | 79% | 68% | 3.7 | 12:17 |
| Oct | 75% | 68% | 2.9 | 11:26 |
| Nov | 77% | 66% | 2.3 | 10:42 |
| Dec | 75% | 67% | 1.9 | 10:22 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Changsha is like
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 32 °C90 °F and a low of 25 °C77 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 10 °C50 °F and lows 1 °C33 °F. Seasons are strongly marked: the warmest month is on average 23.1 °C41.5 °F warmer than the coldest.
It is wet, with about 1,560 mm61 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is April–June, which brings 41% of the annual total. The wettest month is June (238 mm9.4 in), the driest is December (60 mm2.4 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 75% in October to 84% in June. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 66%) are typical of November. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 7 km/h (4 mph) in August to 9 km/h (5 mph) in April. Daylight lasts from about 10.4 hours in December to 13.9 hours in June.
Best time to visit Changsha
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are October. Average highs then reach 25 °C77 °F to 25 °C77 °F. Precipitation is 71 mm2.8 in to 71 mm2.8 in per month.
The most challenging month is June, which is hot, with average highs of 30 °C86 °F, very wet (238 mm9.4 in) and humid (84% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
Changsha weather by month
- January10 °C50 °F / 1 °C33 °F
- February13 °C56 °F / 4 °C38 °F
- March18 °C65 °F / 8 °C46 °F
- April24 °C75 °F / 13 °C56 °F
- May28 °C82 °F / 18 °C65 °F
- June30 °C86 °F / 22 °C72 °F
- July32 °C90 °F / 25 °C77 °F
- August32 °C90 °F / 24 °C75 °F
- September30 °C85 °F / 20 °C68 °F
- October25 °C77 °F / 14 °C57 °F
- November19 °C66 °F / 8 °C47 °F
- December12 °C54 °F / 2 °C35 °F
What to pack for Changsha
- Winter (December–February) — highs 1050 to 13 °C56 °F, lows 133 to 4 °C38 °F, about 73 mm2.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 1865 to 28 °C82 °F, lows 846 to 18 °C65 °F, about 184 mm7.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Summer (June–August) — highs 3086 to 32 °C90 °F, lows 2272 to 25 °C77 °F, about 175 mm6.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 1966 to 30 °C85 °F, lows 847 to 20 °C68 °F, about 88 mm3.5 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
How Changsha compares
The nearest larger place is Wuhan, about 293 km to the northeast. Compared with it, Changsha is on average 0.3 °C0.6 °F warmer. It receives 17% more precipitation (1,560 mm61 in vs 1,332 mm52 in). The difference is largest in February (1.4 °C2.4 °F warmer).
World Climates covers 547 places in China. By annual mean temperature, Changsha is the 143rd warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 88th wettest. See all of them on the China climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Jackson (United States, Cfa), Montgomery (United States, Cfa) and Columbia (United States, Cfa).
Nearby places
- Climate in Xiangtan 39 km · 18 °C65 °F · 1,560 mm61 in
- Climate in Zhuzhou 44 km · 18 °C65 °F · 1,560 mm61 in
- Climate in Shaoshan 54 km · 17 °C63 °F · 1,493 mm59 in
- Climate in Guankou 64 km · 18 °C65 °F · 1,656 mm65 in
- Climate in Xiangxiang 67 km · 18 °C65 °F · 1,555 mm61 in
- Climate in Heshan 74 km · 18 °C64 °F · 1,442 mm57 in
- Climate in Pingxiang 108 km · 18 °C65 °F · 1,667 mm66 in
- Climate in Loudi 109 km · 18 °C64 °F · 1,429 mm56 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Changsha?
July is the warmest month in Changsha. Its average high is 32 °C (90 °F) and its average low is 25 °C (77 °F).
What is the coldest month in Changsha?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 10 °C (50 °F) and its average low is 1 °C (33 °F).
When does it rain the most in Changsha?
June is the wettest month with about 238 mm (9.4 in) of precipitation. December is the driest with about 60 mm (2.4 in).
What is the best time to visit Changsha?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are October.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.