Shanghai · Month comparison
November vs October
October ranks #1 overall vs November at #2. Single best month — clear 23C days, plane trees gold, Golden Week (Oct 1-7) chaos then peace, F1 and Shanghai Art Week.
November
#2 of 12 months
Best match
Late autumn gold — plane trees blazing, 17C cool, easy walking, F1 just finished so prices fall back, second-best shoulder month.
- ↑Late-autumn gold across French Concession — peak photography window
- ↑Hotel rates 30% below October peak — Park Hyatt from CNY 1,700
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)
| Factor | November | October |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 7 | 9 |
| Value score | 5 | 3 |
| Crowd score | 5 | 3 |
| Events score | 6 | 7 |
| Atmosphere | 9 | 10 |
| Avg high temp | 17°C | 23°C |
| Monthly rain | 50mm | 65mm |
| Daily sunshine | 5hrs | 6hrs |
November trade-offs
- ↓Cool 17C/8C requires light jacket — autumn properly setting in
- ↓Some outdoor cafe terraces closing for season
- ↓Smog days returning as heating season starts in northern China
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 →