Qamdo Climate

Qamdo Climate and Weather is a must-read one before you start your Tibet travel. Qamdo enjoys a plateau subtemperate subhumid climate. The summer climate is mild and humid, while the winter climate is dry and cold; The annual temperature difference is small, and the daily temperature difference is large. The average annual sunshine duration is 2100-2700 hours, the annual frost-free period is 46-162 days and the annual precipitation is 477.7 mm, concentrated in May to September. Common natural disasters are frost injury, snow damage and hail.

Hengduan Mountains Range in Chamdo is characterized by high peaks and deep ravines, so weather varies complicatedly into 4 seasons in one mountain. Most of the area possess temperate, humid plateau climate, while the lower valley of the Three River Region(The Salween, the Mekong, and the Yangtze) possess temperate plateau dry climate because of the block of mountains.

Qamdo Climate & Weather

Features of Qamdo Climate

1. The climate of Qamdo is characterized by cold. The annual average temperature of Qamdo is 7.6℃. The coldest month of the year is January, with an average monthly temperature of -2.5℃, and the hottest month is July, with an average monthly temperature of 16.3℃. The sunshine duration in Qamdo is long and solar radiation is strong. Its daily temperature varies greatly. The annual temperature difference is relatively small, but the difference of climate between different altitude and region is great, and the rainfall is concentrated, which makes the dry season and rainy season have obvious difference in this area.

2. With an average elevation of more than 3500 meters, the air is thin, and the annual average pressure and air oxygen content of per cubic meter are only 2/3 of those in the plain. The daily temperature difference is large, while the annual temperature difference is small, the temperature is overall low. The rainfall is concentrated, and seasonal distribution is uneven. The precipitation between May and September is 182.3-538.2 mm, accounting for 77.9%-95.8.10% of the annual rainfall and 19.6-102.6 mm from October to May of the following year, which only accounts for 4.3%- 21.2% of the annual precipitation. With large evaporation and low relative humidity, the annual evaporation is between 1325.3-2617.2 mm, and the annual evaporation is the highest(2617.2 mm) in the Nujiang River valley, which is more than 10 times of the annual precipitation.

Average Temperature of Qamdo

Warmest months (with the highest average high temperature) are July and August (20°C). The month with the lowest average high temperature is January (4°C). 

The month with the highest average low temperature is July (8°C). Coldest months (with the lowest average low temperature) are January and December (-13°C).

Average Rainfall in Qamdo

The wettest month (with the highest rainfall) is July (116mm). Driest months (with the lowest rainfall) are January and December (3mm). 

The month with the highest number of rainy days is July (21 days). Months with the lowest number of rainy days are January and December (2 days).

Qamdo Weather by Month

Four Seasons of Qamdo and What to Pack

In Qamdo, the summers are long, comfortable, and mostly cloudy and the winters are freezing, dry, and partly cloudy. The warm season lasts for 4.0 months, from May 19 to September 18, with an average daily high temperature above 66°F. The hottest day of the year is June 27, with an average high of 73°F and low of 47°F. The cold season lasts for 3.3 months, from November 26 to March 4, with an average daily high temperature below 45°F. The coldest day of the year is January 7, with an average low of 14°F and high of 38°F.

  • Spring (Feb - Apr): The average temperature in spring is -6℃ ~ 11℃. With an average temperature of 11℃ during the day, it is recommended to wear warm clothes such as suits, jackets, trench coats, casual clothes, jackets, suits and thin sweaters. The average temperature at night is -6℃, it is recommended to wear thick and warm clothes such as cotton-padded clothes, winter coats, leather jackets, tweed coats, tweed hats, gloves, down jackets, fur jackets, etc.
  • Summer (May-July): The average temperature in summer is 6℃ ~ 21℃. With an average temperature of 21℃ during the day, it is recommended to wear comfortable clothes such as short suits, T-shirts, thin denim shirts and pants, casual clothes, professional suits, etc. made of single-layer cotton and linen fabric. The average temperature at night is 6℃, it is recommended to wear windbreaker, overcoat, jacket, sweater, wool suit, suit, cold-proof clothing and other warm clothes at night.
  • Autumn (Aug-Oct): The average temperature in autumn is 10℃ ~ 24℃. With an average temperature of 24℃ during the day, it is recommended to wear cool and breathable clothes such as shirts made of cotton and linen fabric, thin long skirts and thin T-shirts. The average temperature at night is 10℃, it is recommended to wear warm clothes such as suits, jackets, trench coats, casual clothes, jackets, suits and thin sweaters.
  • Winter (Nov - Jan): The average temperature in winter is -5℃ ~ 13℃. With an average temperature of 13℃ during the day, it is recommended to wear warm clothes such as suits, jackets, trench coats, casual clothes, jackets, suits, thin sweaters, etc. At night, the average temperature is -5℃ and it is recommended to wear thick and warm clothes such as cotton-padded clothes, winter coats, leather jackets, tweed coats, tweed hats, gloves, down jackets and fur jackets.

Best Time to Visit Qamdo

Due to special geographical and weather conditions, the best travel time for Qamdo is from April to June and September to October. In these months, the weather is not as cold as winter and spring, as well as not as wet as the rainy season. In early summer, the grass was green and wild flowers are blooming on the plateau. Tibetan families usually dress up to visit friends and have a good time. Plateau in late autumn is a magnificent picture of the colorful and beautiful scenery, blue sky and clean water, mountains and rivers. In other seasons, road traffic may be disrupted by the rainy season and heavy snow.

Travel Tips for Visiting Qamdo Tibet

  • Bring multiple layers of long-sleeved and warm clothes with you so you will be prepared no matter the temperature. The temperature at night is much lower than it is during the day even in summer time, so also be prepared with cold weather gear like a hat, gloves, a scarf and a thick winter coat. 
  • It is not a good idea to have a tour in China during the national holidays. The three busiest national festivals in China are the Spring Festival(usually at the end of January or early February), International Labor Day(May 1-3) and National Day(October 1-7). The Spring Festival is a particularly crowded time to travel. The advantage of coming to China at this time is that you will have the opportunity to experience and know Chinese culture more directly.
  • Don't forget to prepare medicines based on your health condition, such as cold medicine, carsick medicine, altitude sickness medicine and so on. Because of long sunshine duration and strong solar radiation, please prepare a hat, sun cream and other sunscreen products.

Further Reading:

Regional Climate in Qamdo

Keep Reading