Lào Cai climate
Lào Cai (Vietnam) has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa). The average temperature over the year is 25 °C78 °F, and about 1,601 mm63 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Lào Cai climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2374 | 1254 | 1864 | 411.6 |
| Feb | 2780 | 1558 | 2169 | 220.9 |
| Mar | 3086 | 1864 | 2475 | 532.1 |
| Apr | 3392 | 2271 | 2882 | 1104.3 |
| May | 3595 | 2576 | 3085 | 1736.8 |
| Jun | 3595 | 2679 | 3187 | 2148.4 |
| Jul | 3494 | 2679 | 3087 | 28711 |
| Aug | 3494 | 2679 | 3086 | 33013 |
| Sep | 3392 | 2476 | 2984 | 1907.5 |
| Oct | 3087 | 2170 | 2678 | 963.8 |
| Nov | 2781 | 1763 | 2272 | 502.0 |
| Dec | 2374 | 1355 | 1865 | 331.3 |
| Year | 3595 | 1254 | 2578 | 1,60163 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82% | 65% | 2.8 | 10:54 |
| Feb | 76% | 58% | 3.7 | 11:23 |
| Mar | 74% | 61% | 4.2 | 11:58 |
| Apr | 74% | 67% | 4.9 | 12:39 |
| May | 75% | 77% | 5.0 | 13:12 |
| Jun | 80% | 91% | 4.3 | 13:30 |
| Jul | 81% | 90% | 4.3 | 13:23 |
| Aug | 82% | 86% | 4.5 | 12:54 |
| Sep | 81% | 76% | 4.3 | 12:15 |
| Oct | 83% | 72% | 3.5 | 11:35 |
| Nov | 81% | 56% | 3.5 | 11:02 |
| Dec | 82% | 64% | 2.8 | 10:46 |
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 Lào Cai is like
The warmest month is June, with an average high of 35 °C95 °F and a low of 26 °C79 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 23 °C74 °F and lows 12 °C54 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 12.8 °C23 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,601 mm63 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is June–August, which brings 52% of the annual total. The wettest month is August (330 mm13 in), the driest is February (22 mm0.9 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 74% in April to 83% in October. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 56%) are typical of November. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 2 km/h (1 mph) in August to 3 km/h (2 mph) in March. Daylight lasts from about 10.8 hours in December to 13.5 hours in June.
Best time to visit Lào Cai
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are November–February. Average highs then reach 23 °C74 °F to 27 °C81 °F. Precipitation is 22 mm0.9 in to 50 mm2.0 in per month.
The most challenging month is August, which is hot, with average highs of 34 °C94 °F, very wet (330 mm13 in) and humid (82% 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.
What to pack for Lào Cai
- Wetter months (May–September) — highs 3392 to 35 °C95 °F, lows 2476 to 26 °C79 °F, about 239 mm9.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and a good rain jacket or umbrella and quick-drying shoes.
- Drier months (October–April) — highs 2374 to 33 °C92 °F, lows 1254 to 22 °C71 °F, about 58 mm2.3 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 Lào Cai compares
The nearest larger place is Wenshan City, about 102 km to the north. Compared with it, Lào Cai is on average 7.2 °C13 °F warmer. It receives 48% more precipitation (1,601 mm63 in vs 1,081 mm43 in). The difference is largest in September (7.7 °C13.8 °F warmer).
World Climates covers 75 places in Vietnam. By annual mean temperature, Lào Cai is the 46th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 32nd wettest. See all of them on the Vietnam climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Xiuying (China, Aw), Dimapur (India, Cwa) and Beihai (China, Cwa).
Nearby places
- Climate in Bắc Quang 92 km · 24 °C76 °F · 1,408 mm55 in
- Climate in Wenshan City 102 km · 18 °C65 °F · 1,081 mm43 in
- Climate in Mengzi 115 km · 19 °C66 °F · 980 mm39 in
- Climate in Thị Trấn Thuận Châu 120 km · 23 °C73 °F · 1,391 mm55 in
- Climate in Yên Bái 129 km · 24 °C76 °F · 1,539 mm61 in
- Climate in Tuyên Quang 148 km · 24 °C76 °F · 1,527 mm60 in
- Climate in Thái Nguyên 217 km · 24 °C74 °F · 1,572 mm62 in
- Climate in Thanh Xuân 251 km · 24 °C75 °F · 1,606 mm63 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Lào Cai?
June is the warmest month in Lào Cai. Its average high is 35 °C (95 °F) and its average low is 26 °C (79 °F).
What is the coldest month in Lào Cai?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 23 °C (74 °F) and its average low is 12 °C (54 °F).
When does it rain the most in Lào Cai?
August is the wettest month with about 330 mm (13.0 in) of precipitation. February is the driest with about 22 mm (0.9 in).
What is the best time to visit Lào Cai?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are November–February.
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.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 936 m, while Lào Cai lies at about 86 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +5.5 °C9.9 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.