When to go · Hangzhou
Hangzhou in January
Mixed month. Outside the best window (Mar–May, Oct–Nov). Across China: Cold and smoggy in the north, ice festival in Harbin; Spring Festival travel rush can start mid-month.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 9°C48°F / 2°C36°F
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 11
- Crowds
- Medium
- China overall
- Prices
- Medium
- China overall
Verdict
Outside the best window (Mar–May, Oct–Nov). Across China: Cold and smoggy in the north, ice festival in Harbin; Spring Festival travel rush can start mid-month.
Weather in January
- HangzhouHighs around 9 °C, lows around 2 °C, rain on about 11 daysHighs around 48 °F, lows around 36 °F, rain on about 11 days
- East China and the Yangtze, China · Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Huangshancool
Damp cold winters without much heating south of the Huai river; plum rain (meiyu) mid-June to mid-July; typhoons can hit Shanghai Aug–Sep.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) big impact
Spring Festival: about 5–11 Feb 2027 (New Year's Day 6 Feb; official dates set late in the year — check) · China
Chunyun travel rush for about 40 days around it; shops and small restaurants close for up to a week, trains and flights sell out, hotel prices jump. Big sights stay open with crowds.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · China overall
- Medium
- Prices · China overall
- Medium
China overall: Cold and smoggy in the north, ice festival in Harbin; Spring Festival travel rush can start mid-month.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket