Shanghai · Month comparison

June vs October

October ranks #1 overall vs June at #7. Single best month — clear 23C days, plane trees gold, Golden Week (Oct 1-7) chaos then peace, F1 and Shanghai Art Week.

June Shanghai Bund with overcast plum rain skies and umbrellas

June

#7 of 12 months

Best match

Plum rain season — Mei Yu monsoon, 80% humidity, 175mm rainfall, but pre-July prices, indoor cultural scene at full strength.

  • Shanghai International Film Festival (mid-June): 400+ international films
  • Dragon Boat Festival (early June) — zongzi rice dumplings, dragon boat races on the Huangpu
October Shanghai Bund clear autumn day with Pudong skyline

October

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Single best month — clear 23C days, plane trees gold, Golden Week (Oct 1-7) chaos then peace, F1 and Shanghai Art Week.

  • Golden Week (Oct 1-7) excepted, the most reliably clear and pleasant week of the year
  • F1 Shanghai Grand Prix and Shanghai Art Week (10 days late October)
FactorJuneOctober
Weather score
5
9
Value score
6
3
Crowd score
6
3
Events score
7
7
Atmosphere
7
10
Avg high temp28°C23°C
Monthly rain175mm65mm
Daily sunshine5hrs6hrs

June trade-offs

  • 80% humidity makes 28C feel like 35C — outdoor walking heavy
  • Plum-rain showers daily — 12-15 rainy days
  • Air-conditioning chases everywhere — bring layers for restaurants

October trade-offs

  • Golden Week (Oct 1-7): every Chinese tourist in Shanghai, transport overwhelmed
  • Hotel rates back at spring peak — F1 weekend adds another 30%
  • F1 and Art Week double-book the entire city in late October
Scores compare months within Shanghai. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →