A tropical climate is found on Hainan Island. Usually there is a large amount of rainfall during the summer months. Average temperatures are 21°C in the winter to 38°C in the summer. From March to November the weather becomes very hot and humid.
In the South East there is usually a very hot, humid summer with a maximum temperature of 38°C. The winters are mild and drizzly with a minimum temperature of 10°C. The coast is often struck by typhoons between July and September.The winters in the North East are exceptionally cold with temperatures as low as -40°C. The summers are hot and dry reaching a maximum temperature of 35°C. There is a similar climate in the southwest.
In the central areas winters are short and cold with temperatures falling below zero. Summers are long, hot and humid. Flooding has become a problem in recent years. Wuhan, Nanjing and Chongqing are known as 'the three furnaces' because of the heat in the summer.The North West desert and steppe is arid. The region has scorching hot, dry summers with temperatures reaching 45°C in Turfan. Winters can be just as bitter as in the North East, although the average temperature is -10°C.
The Tibetan plateau is very dry all year round because of the altitude. Summer days can be warm and reach about 25°C. However, at night it can be bitterly cold and the temperature can fall below zero. Winters are extremely cold with fierce winds making it seem much colder than the average -10°C.
© The British Museum