Owing to tremendous differences in latitude, longitude, and altitude, the climate of China is extremely diverse, ranging from tropical in the far south to subarctic in the far north and alpine in the higher elevations of the Tibetan Plateau. Monsoon winds, caused by differences in the heat-absorbing capacity of the continent and the ocean, dominate the climate. During the summer, the East Asian Monsoon carries warm and moist air from the south and delivers the vast majority of the annual precipitation in much of the country. Conversely, the Siberian anticyclone dominates during winter, bringing cold and comparatively dry conditions. The advance and retreat of the monsoons account in large degree for the timing of the rainy season throughout the country. Although most of the country lies in the temperate belt, its climatic patterns are complex.

The northern extremities of both Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia have a subarctic climate; in contrast, most of Hainan Island and parts of the extreme southern fringes of Yunnan have a tropical climate. Temperature differences in winter are considerable, but in summer the variance is considerably less. For example, Mohe County, Heilongjiang has a 24-hour average temperature in January approaching −30 °C (−22 °F), while the corresponding figure in July exceeds 18 °C (64 °F). By contrast, most of Hainan has a January mean in excess of 17 °C (63 °F), while the July mean there is generally above 28 °C (82 °F).

Precipitation is almost invariably concentrated in the warmer months, though annual totals range from less than 20 millimetres (0.8 in) in northwestern Qinghai and the Turpan Depression of Xinjiang to easily exceeding 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan. Only in some pockets of the Dzungaria region of Xinjiang is the conspicuous seasonal variation in precipitation that defines Chinese (and, to a large extent, East Asian) climate absent.

Annual sunshine duration ranges from less than 1,100 hours in parts of Sichuan and Chongqing to over 3,400 hours in northwestern Qinghai. Seasonal patterns in sunshine vary considerably by region, but overall, the north and the Tibetan Plateau are sunnier than the south of the country.

Erbao Township currently holds the highest recorded temperature in China, at 50.5 °C (122.9 °F) on 10 July 2017.^[1]

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  The average annual precipitation in Mainland China
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  Early-season snow covering part of the North China Plain near Shijiazhuang, Hebei
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  Snow encircling the area around the Bo Hai
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  The first day of spring 2010 brought a massive sandstorm blowing from Inner Mongolia
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  On November 11, 2010, a wall of sand blew across northern China, covering much of the North China Plain and Shandong Peninsula.
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  Haze over the North China Plain and the Lüliang Mountains of Shanxi
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  Natural color satellite image of a smog event in the heart of northern China
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  Dense smog settled over the North China Plain on February 20, 2011.

Examples

Note

Climate change

Climate change is having major effects on the Chinese economy, society and the environment.^[34][35] China is the largest emitter of carbon dioxide, through an energy infrastructure heavily focused on coal. Other industries, such as a burgeoning construction industry and industrial manufacturing, contribute heavily to carbon emissions. However, like other developing countries, on a per-capita basis, China's carbon emissions are considerably less than countries like the United States.^[36] It has also been noted that higher-income countries have outsourced emissions-intensive industries to China.^[37][38] On the basis of cumulative CO₂ emissions measured from 1751 through to 2017, China is responsible for 13% globally and about half of the United States' cumulative emissions.^[39][40] China is now the world's largest polluter and in 2023 recorded it's hottest year on record with an average temperature of 10.7 C.^[41]

China is suffering from the negative effects of global warming in agriculture, forestry and water resources, and is expected to continue to see increased impacts. China's government is taking some measures to increase renewable energy, and other decarbonization efforts, vowing to hit peak emissions before 2030 and be carbon neutral by 2060 by adopting "more vigorous policies and measures."^[42] The GHG emissions of China will probably peak in 2025, and by 2030 they will return to 2022 levels. However, such pathway still leads to 3 degree temperature rise.^[43]