AI-generatedKangding at a glance
- Best time
- Jun – Sep
- Warmest month
- Jul · 19°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,500 h
- Rain a year
- 2,152 mm
- Climate
- Mountain
- Time zone
- UTC+8
- Elevation
- 2,826 m
Climate in Kangding
Kangding has a mountain climate: summers are fresh, winters cold and snowy. July is the warmest month with average highs of 19 °C, while January is the coolest at 1 °C. With around 1,500 hours of sunshine a year, Kangding is rather dull; January is the sunniest month with 5.3 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Best time to visit Kangding
The best time to visit Kangding is from June to September. Hiking and mountain trips are best from May to September, when the trails are largely free of snow. Rain is frequent from March to May and from October to November; the wettest month is July with 380 mm.
Kangding through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Kangding in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 7–15 °C by day
- 4.5 h of sun a day
- 70 rainy days in all
Kangding in summer
Jun – Aug
Fair
- 17–19 °C by day
- 3.4 h of sun a day
- 83 rainy days in all
Kangding in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- 7–15 °C by day
- 3.4 h of sun a day
- 72 rainy days in all
Kangding in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 1–3 °C by day
- 5.2 h of sun a day
- 27 rainy days in all
Which month for what?
Hiking & mountain trips
May – Sep
13–27 °C in the village, little snow
Rainy months
Mar – May, Oct – Nov
18 or more rainy days, often short showers and storms
Snow
Oct – Apr
Snow on 2 or more days
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Kangding for you.
Your best months: July – August
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Weather in October
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: June – September
Keep in mindFrequent rainSnow
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 4°
- Midday, 13:00: about 11°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 11°
- Evening, 20:00: about 7°
- Night, 23:00: about 6°
07:1318:43
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 06:58–07:45 · evening 18:10–18:57
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:49–06:58 · evening 18:57–19:07
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
October in Kangding compared with home
Loading the climate at home …
Early or late October?
In October, daytime highs fall from about 13° at the start of the month to 9° at the end. The days get 0.8 h shorter.
| October | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 13° | 9° |
| Night-time low | 5° | 0° |
| Daylight | 11.9 h | 11.1 h |
What is the weather like in Kangding in October?
In October, Kangding is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.1 hours a day. It rains often – on about 27 days, adding up to 177 mm. Snow falls on about 4 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kangding.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 30 min07:13 – 18:43
- UV index
- 8 · very highclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 6 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 89 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 4 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+8offset from UTC
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %51 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %2 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Mountain air”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- A jumper for the evenings
- Hat, scarf & gloves
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Compare two months in Kangding
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
July has the better holiday weather in Kangding: score 52 against 26. In July, days are 8 °C warmer than in October. July has one more rainy day.
| Month | October | July |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 26 | 52better |
| Daytime high | 11° | 19° |
| Night-time low | 3° | 11° |
| Sunshine | 3.1 h | 3.5 h |
| Rainy days | 27better | 28 |
| Rainfall | 177 mmbetter | 380 mm |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Kangding month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
31January1° · 5.3 h
In January, Kangding is bitterly cold: daytime highs average 1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−11 °C). Expect around 5.3 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation falls on about 7 days, totalling 23 mm; on about 7 of them it snows. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kangding.
Kangding in January21February3° · 5.2 h
In February, Kangding is bitterly cold: daytime highs average 3 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−8 °C). Expect around 5.2 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation falls on about 12 days, totalling 39 mm; on about 10 of them it snows. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kangding.
Kangding in February9March7° · 4.9 h
In March, Kangding is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). Expect around 4.9 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 19 days, adding up to 100 mm. Snow falls on about 14 days. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kangding.
Kangding in March32April11° · 4.6 h
In April, Kangding is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 0 °C. Expect around 4.6 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 23 days, adding up to 177 mm. Snow falls on about 8 days. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kangding.
Kangding in April46May15° · 3.9 h
In May, Kangding is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.9 hours a day. It rains often – on about 28 days, adding up to 260 mm. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Kangding.
Kangding in May51June17° · 3.3 h
In June, Kangding is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 28 days, adding up to 277 mm. All in all, June is a so-so month for a holiday in Kangding – and yet one of the best months here.
Kangding in June52July19° · 3.5 h
In July, Kangding is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.5 hours a day. It rains often – on about 28 days, adding up to 380 mm. All in all, July is a so-so month for a holiday in Kangding – and yet one of the best months here.
Kangding in July52August18° · 3.5 h
In August, Kangding is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.5 hours a day. It rains often – on about 27 days, adding up to 343 mm. All in all, August is a so-so month for a holiday in Kangding – and yet one of the best months here.
Kangding in August47September15° · 2.9 h
In September, Kangding is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 2.9 hours a day. It rains often – on about 27 days, adding up to 263 mm. All in all, September is a so-so month for a holiday in Kangding – and yet one of the best months here.
Kangding in September26October11° · 3.1 h
In October, Kangding is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.1 hours a day. It rains often – on about 27 days, adding up to 177 mm. Snow falls on about 4 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kangding.
Kangding in October8November7° · 4.2 h
In November, Kangding is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). Expect around 4.2 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 88 mm. Snow falls on about 10 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kangding.
Kangding in November27December2° · 5.0 h
In December, Kangding is bitterly cold: daytime highs average 2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−11 °C). Expect around 5.0 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation falls on about 9 days, totalling 26 mm; on about 7 of them it snows. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kangding.
Kangding in DecemberClimate in detail
Year & climate table
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Kangding
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Frost below 0°
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
ColdOctober: nights around 3°. The room should be heated.
The coolest nights are in January (−11°), the warmest in July (11°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from October to May, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 31 | 1° | −11° | 5.3 h | 7 | 23 |
| FebruaryFeb | 21 | 3° | −8° | 5.2 h | 12 | 39 |
| MarchMar | 9 | 7° | −4° | 4.9 h | 19 | 100 |
| AprilApr | 32 | 11° | 0° | 4.6 h | 23 | 177 |
| MayMay | 46 | 15° | 5° | 3.9 h | 28 | 260 |
| JuneJun | 51 | 17° | 9° | 3.3 h | 28 | 277 |
| JulyJul | 52 | 19° | 11° | 3.5 h | 28 | 380 |
| AugustAug | 52 | 18° | 10° | 3.5 h | 27 | 343 |
| SeptemberSep | 47 | 15° | 8° | 2.9 h | 27 | 263 |
| OctoberOct | 26 | 11° | 3° | 3.1 h | 27 | 177 |
| NovemberNov | 8 | 7° | −4° | 4.2 h | 18 | 88 |
| DecemberDec | 27 | 2° | −11° | 5.0 h | 9 | 26 |
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
30.00° N, 101.96° E · 2,826 m · Asia/Shanghai
Sunshine
Sunshine hours in Kangding
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 3.1 of 11.5 hours of daylight in Kangding, 27 % of the daylight hours.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain
Rain in Kangding: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Kangding has about 27 rainy days with 177 mm of rain in total.
UV index
UV index in Kangding
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 8 · very highStay in the shade around midday; SPF 50, clothing, hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 14).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 15 min
- Fair skin
- about 20 min
- Light brown skin
- about 30 min
- Olive skin
- about 40 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen the time, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Wind & clouds
Wind and clouds in Kangding
How breezy and how cloudy Kangding is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Kangding typically peaks at 6 km/h during the day: Beaufort 2, light breeze or less.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 89 % of the sky over Kangding: mostly overcast, with about 3.1 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Snow
Snow in Kangding
When Kangding is likely to be white: the chance of seeing snow during a week's stay, the days with fresh snow and how much falls. Tap a month to select it.
Snow calendar
- hardly any
- possible
- likely
- very likely
In October, Kangding has about 4 days with at least 1 cm of fresh snow, 11 cm in total. The chance of seeing snow during a week's stay is 37 out of 100: possible.
Snow days bring at least 1 cm of fresh snow. Fresh snow comes from ERA5 snowfall (1996–2025) at the height of the place, not on the slopes above it; the snow chance also weighs whether the snow settles. An estimate from climate averages, not a snow report.
Planning a trip to Kangding
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Kangding in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Kangding has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 52) and its weakest during the Easter holidays (score 25).
- 25
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 10 °C by day
- 4.7 h of sun a day
- 22 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
- 47
May half-term
May – Jun
Fair
- 15 °C by day
- 3.8 h of sun a day
- 28 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 52
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
FairBest holidays
- 19 °C by day
- 3.5 h of sun a day
- 28 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 26
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 11 °C by day
- 3.1 h of sun a day
- 27 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
- 29
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 1 °C by day
- 5.2 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 10 h 25 min
- Distance
- 8,230 km
- Time zone
- UTC+8
- Jet lag
- About 7 days (7 h east)
Rule of thumb for flying east: for a few days before, go to bed and get up a little earlier, and get plenty of morning light at your destination.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Good to know: China
- Currency
- Chinese Yuan (CNY)
- Language
- Chinese
- Sockets
- Type A, C, I · 220 V
- Traffic
- Drives on the right
- Dialling code
- +86
UK plugs need a travel adapter
Sources: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0). Please check details before you travel.
Compare & alternatives
Compare with another place
Kangding compared
Put Kangding side by side with another destination.
Kangding vs Leshan
In October Leshan has the better holiday weather (score 52 vs 26). During the day Leshan is 11 °C warmer than Kangding. Leshan gets 2 fewer hours of sunshine a day.
| in October | Kangding | Leshan |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 26 | 52 |
| Daytime high | 11° | 22° |
| Sunshine | 3 h | 1 h |
| Rainy days | 27 | 17 |
| Best time | Jun – Sep | Mar – Apr |
Through the year
Best places in the country
China in October: the best places
In October, Kangding ranks 31 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Zhangye17°94
- 2Golmud14°89
- 3Lanzhou18°86
- 4Yan'an20°83
- 5Guilin27°80
- 6Chamdo18°78
- 7Xiangyang24°77
- 8Changde24°75
- 31KangdingThis page11°26
Places nearby
Near Kangding
Other destinations close by.
Places with a similar climate
Places with a climate like Kangding
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Kangding's – good alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about Kangding
When is the best time to visit Kangding?
The best time to visit Kangding is from June to September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Kangding?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 19 °C and nights around 11 °C. January is the coolest month at 1 °C.
When does it rain most in Kangding?
Rain is frequent from March to May and from October to November; the wettest month is July with 380 mm. The driest month is January with 23 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Kangding get?
Kangding gets around 1,500 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is January with 5.3 hours a day; in September there are 2.9 hours a day.
What time zone is Kangding in?
Kangding is on UTC+8 all year.
How long is the flight from London to Kangding?
A nonstop flight from London to Kangding takes about 10 h 25 min, for a straight-line distance of about 8,230 km.
Which school holidays are best for Kangding?
Kangding has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 52) and its weakest during the Easter holidays (score 25). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 25, May half-term 47, summer holidays 52, October half-term 26, Christmas holidays 29.