Kangding climate
Kangding (Sichuan, China) has a subtropical highland (dry winter) climate (Köppen Cwb). The average temperature over the year is 10 °C50 °F, and about 1,016 mm40 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Kangding climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 949 | −523 | 236 | 60.2 |
| Feb | 1152 | −228 | 440 | 120.5 |
| Mar | 1356 | 032 | 744 | 341.3 |
| Apr | 1762 | 337 | 1050 | 672.6 |
| May | 2068 | 643 | 1356 | 1114.4 |
| Jun | 2271 | 1049 | 1660 | 1897.4 |
| Jul | 2272 | 1254 | 1763 | 1837.2 |
| Aug | 2271 | 1152 | 1762 | 1887.4 |
| Sep | 2068 | 948 | 1458 | 1465.7 |
| Oct | 1662 | 439 | 1050 | 622.4 |
| Nov | 1254 | 033 | 643 | 140.6 |
| Dec | 1050 | −425 | 337 | 60.2 |
| Year | 2272 | −523 | 1050 | 1,01640 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61% | 42% | 3.9 | 10:25 |
| Feb | 60% | 54% | 4.5 | 11:05 |
| Mar | 63% | 65% | 5.3 | 11:55 |
| Apr | 69% | 72% | 5.9 | 12:52 |
| May | 74% | 72% | 5.9 | 13:39 |
| Jun | 81% | 79% | 5.3 | 14:04 |
| Jul | 85% | 79% | 5.1 | 13:54 |
| Aug | 85% | 75% | 5.1 | 13:13 |
| Sep | 86% | 74% | 4.5 | 12:18 |
| Oct | 81% | 59% | 4.2 | 11:23 |
| Nov | 70% | 44% | 4.0 | 10:36 |
| Dec | 65% | 37% | 3.7 | 10:13 |
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 Kangding is like
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 22 °C72 °F and a low of 12 °C54 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 9 °C49 °F and lows −5 °C23 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 15.1 °C27.2 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,016 mm40 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is June–August, which brings 55% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: November–February. The wettest month is June (189 mm7.4 in), the driest is December (6 mm0.2 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 60% in February to 86% in September. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 37%) are typical of December. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 6 km/h (4 mph) in October to 8 km/h (5 mph) in February. Daylight lasts from about 10.2 hours in December to 14.1 hours in June.
Best time to visit Kangding
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are May and October: average highs of 16 °C62 °F to 20 °C68 °F with 62 mm2.4 in to 111 mm4.4 in of precipitation per month.
The most challenging month is January, which is cold, with average highs of 9 °C49 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to 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.
What to pack for Kangding
- Winter (December–February) — highs 949 to 11 °C52 °F, lows −523 to −2 °C28 °F, about 8 mm0.3 in of precipitation a month. Pack a warm coat, layers and closed shoes, an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings and shoes with good grip, as frost is common.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 1356 to 20 °C68 °F, lows 032 to 6 °C43 °F, about 70 mm2.8 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Summer (June–August) — highs around 22 °C71 °F, lows 1049 to 12 °C54 °F, about 187 mm7.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket, an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 1254 to 20 °C68 °F, lows 033 to 9 °C48 °F, about 74 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.
How Kangding compares
Compared with Yaan, about 100 km to the east, Kangding is on average 7.3 °C13.1 °F cooler and receives 23% less precipitation (1,016 mm40 in vs 1,325 mm52 in). The difference is largest in July (9.7 °C17.5 °F cooler).
Of the 547 places in China covered by World Climates, Kangding is the 436th warmest by annual mean temperature and the 250th wettest by annual precipitation. See all of them on the China climate page.
Places in other countries with the most similar temperature and rainfall pattern: Thimphu (Bhutan, Cwb), Lincoln (United Kingdom, Cfb) and Clermont-Ferrand (France, Cfb).
Nearby places
- Yaan 100 km · 17 °C63 °F · 1,325 mm52 in
- Meishan 181 km · 18 °C64 °F · 1,207 mm48 in
- Leshan 181 km · 18 °C65 °F · 1,232 mm49 in
- Chengdu 216 km · 17 °C63 °F · 990 mm39 in
- Xichang 236 km · 17 °C63 °F · 999 mm39 in
- Ziyang 259 km · 18 °C64 °F · 1,067 mm42 in
- Deyang 264 km · 18 °C64 °F · 920 mm36 in
- Zigong 282 km · 18 °C65 °F · 1,054 mm41 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Kangding?
July is the warmest month in Kangding, with an average high of 22 °C (72 °F) and an average low of 12 °C (54 °F).
What is the coldest month in Kangding?
January is the coldest month, with an average high of 9 °C (49 °F) and an average low of -5 °C (23 °F).
When does it rain the most in Kangding?
June is the wettest month with about 189 mm (7.4 in) of precipitation; December is the driest with about 6 mm (0.2 in).
What is the best time to visit Kangding?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are May and 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 — most of all 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.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 3,948 m, while Kangding lies at about 2,826 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +7.3 °C13.1 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.