While there are four distinct seasons in Shanghai, they can be hard to prepare for when packing up your life for the big move. It can be tricky between the differences in air conditioning levels, transportation, and various other factors. Here’s a full-proof plan on How to Survive the Harsh Shanghai Climate.
Blossoming into Spring
Let’s start with Spring. Spring is a lovely but short-lived time in Shanghai. Coming off an extremely cold winter (don’t worry –we’ll get to that later), sunshine will be a pleasant surprise! But keep that electric blank on hand because there will be days where those northwestern winds from Siberia will hit and it’ll feel like you’re back in the middle of winter!
March and April are tricky months. In March, the metro stations and most businesses will continue blasting the heat even on days where the temperatures increase to 20 degrees.
When April hits though, the air conditioners will turn on and those spring days or nights where the temperatures dip to the lower side of 10 degrees, an extra layer of fabric, be it a scarf or sweater, is a handy accessory to have on hand.
Spring is all about layers..and rain boots!
May is the beginning of typhoon season. Think sturdy umbrella, high rain boots, and even a poncho if you plan on biking or scootering around the city, for those unexpected rain showers! A fashionable tote bag or trendy backpack is necessary as you’ll have many items to tote around.
Shanghai really blossoms in the Spring. Locals and expats alike come out of hibernation. All the trendy rooftops are suddenly buzzing for brunch and late-night drinks. Festivals, markets, and gardens re-open and you’ll have a hard time deciding each weekend just what to do!
Summertime Sadness in Shanghai
The first sight of summer with the warmth of the sunshine hitting your skin will be so delightful. Everyone is eager to slip out of their fleece leggings and cashmere sweaters to bare a bit of skin.
And then it happens…you’re walking down the street and the skies open up on you. Welcome to June!
June is méiyǔ 梅雨 also known as plum rain. It downpours. I mean…really downpours.
Have you seen those scenes in movies where the girl is standing on the sidewalk and a motor vehicle of some sort whizzes by and she is drenched? I’ve witnessed this many times and unfortunately have experienced this a time or two myself. Whoosh! Completely drenched from head to toe.
No one is safe, you’ll say RIP to a lot of umbrellas and possibly a few pairs of socks. The rain is sideways, umbrellas flip, bend, break. The puddles are ankle-deep and large, often spanning the street which would be called a flood, not a puddle.
Rainboots, a poncho, or a proper raincoat is the only thing to keep you dry through June.
July and August the temperatures skyrocket to 35-43 degrees, humidity reaches 100%, and you can’t step outside without feeling like you need to take a shower for the tenth time that day. Every inch of your body will be covered in sweat and then you’ll turn and look at the Chinese guy next to you, calm as a cucumber. Damn Asian sweat glands.
Dri-fit clothing is a must and a change of clothes, if you’re walking or biking to work, is recommended.
Come midday, the streets are empty. Locals hideout in shopping malls and metro stations where the air conditioning is on full blast. Those that must brave the harsh rays, walk around with umbrellas to shield their sensitive skin. Expats retreat to their air-conditioned home/office during the week and hit the latest rooftop pool party every weekend.
Guarantee, by the end of summer, you’ll be praying for winter again!
Fall Back in Love with Shanghai
Mid-Autumn Festival brings Fall to Shanghai. Much like Spring, the days can vary in temperatures.
Fall brings leather jackets, cozy sweaters, scarves, flannels, and boots- but make sure they’re comfortable because Shanghai is such a walkable- or bike-friendly city!
Late September often brings some cooler temperatures. At this point, anything below 25 degrees will feel cool.
By early October, layers will slowly start adding up as temperatures drop to 15. Come Halloween, your heaters will slowly be turning up, electric blankets on, and you’ll quickly begin unpacking all the winter attire you were so eager to pack away in Spring.
November balances between Fall and Winter. There will be days you’re layering your extra warm Heat Tech fleece leggings and long sleeve fleeces underneath your clothes and days where a simple leather jacket and t-shirt are enough.
Fall is by far one of Shanghai’s best-kept secrets.
Winter Is Coming
Shanghai certainly doesn’t give you a winter wonderland of snow, so winter can certainly creep up on you overnight. It’s quite rare for there to be snow at all and if there are flurries they typically don’t stick around for snow angels.
A moment of silence for winter 2018’s snowfall.
The lack of snow, mixed with the northwestern Siberian winds and the East China Sea makes it an extremely chilly winter, though. Once that wind hits you, it chills your bones and makes it extremely difficult to warm up again. This is where those disposable hand and foot warmers packs, electric blankets under your sheets and on your couch, and an efficient heating system make all the difference.
Get yourself some heat-tech and fleece undergarments, they will save your life! Invest in a big warm down or wool coat that you can pile a few layers on underneath it. Everyone else will be looking like giant marshmallows walking around, so you’re not alone.
Winter is also one of the most polluted seasons in Shanghai, so for the dual purpose of keeping your face warm and lungs healthy, buy a filtered mask. 3M makes the reusable ones that last about 2 weeks and can be found for 10-20rmb per mask. Invest in a Darth Vadar-looking idMASK with removable filters for those really polluted days. They run about 250-300rmb and filters go for about 100rmb. Trust me, after your first experience of pollution season, you will understand the need to invest.
While the climate in Shanghai isn’t the most ideal year-round; the culture, diversity, and food will have you sticking around to survive the harsh Shanghai climate and explore all that the city has to offer!
*all temperatures are in Celsius
More tips for living in Shanghai are below!
