Tibet Climate & Weather
Most areas in Tibet are high-altitude desert plateaus, with thin air, long hours of sunshine, intense solar radiation, and distinct rainy and dry seasons.
Climate
Tibet has a typical downy special climate with clear regional variations from southeast to northwest. The Northern Tibet Plateau, snow-covered for half a year, has an annual average temperature of -2°C. And the Southern Tibet Valleys are much more temperate and humid. Lhasa and central Tibet, for example, have an annual average temperature of 0 ℃ (32℉) even in December.
Most annual rainfall comes in the rainy season, staring from June to September, when the precipitation covers 90% of the whole year. Usually it rains at night in Lhasa, Shigatse, and Chamdo areas. Travel to western Tibet becomes slightly more difficult, the roads to the east are temporarily washed out.
Temperature
Summer (May to September) in Tibet is cool while winter (November to March) is not very cold owing to the intense sunlight. The sun shines brightly and cold air blows. The temperature comes up and gets warm in the daytime. But temperature drops quickly after sunset because the thin air in Tibet can neither block off nor retain heat. So, the differences in temperature are great within a day. During spring and autumn, travelers even need to be prepared for four seasons in one day, including the possibility of snowfall.
Sun radiation is extremely strong in Tibet. The sunlight in Lhasa is so intense that the city is called Sunlight City. To protect your eyes and skin, it is advisable to bring sun hat, sun glasses, and high SPF sun-cream.
Best Time to Visit Tibet
You can visit Tibet all year round to explore different beauties. And the best time to visit Tibet is from April to the beginning of November. April brings reliable weather in eastern Tibet. Central Tibet (including Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse and Tsedang) generally has very mild weather from April to September, though July and August can be rainy. October and November often bring some dazzlingly clear weather and moderate temperatures. Mt Everest is particularly clear during April and May.
Actually, the best time to visit depends on what part of Tibet you’re heading for, but for most places in Tibet, pick May, June or September to October (exclusive of the rainy season).
Climate
Tibet has a typical downy special climate with clear regional variations from southeast to northwest. The Northern Tibet Plateau, snow-covered for half a year, has an annual average temperature of -2°C. And the Southern Tibet Valleys are much more temperate and humid. Lhasa and central Tibet, for example, have an annual average temperature of 0 ℃ (32℉) even in December.
Most annual rainfall comes in the rainy season, staring from June to September, when the precipitation covers 90% of the whole year. Usually it rains at night in Lhasa, Shigatse, and Chamdo areas. Travel to western Tibet becomes slightly more difficult, the roads to the east are temporarily washed out.
Temperature
Summer (May to September) in Tibet is cool while winter (November to March) is not very cold owing to the intense sunlight. The sun shines brightly and cold air blows. The temperature comes up and gets warm in the daytime. But temperature drops quickly after sunset because the thin air in Tibet can neither block off nor retain heat. So, the differences in temperature are great within a day. During spring and autumn, travelers even need to be prepared for four seasons in one day, including the possibility of snowfall.
Sun radiation is extremely strong in Tibet. The sunlight in Lhasa is so intense that the city is called Sunlight City. To protect your eyes and skin, it is advisable to bring sun hat, sun glasses, and high SPF sun-cream.
Best Time to Visit Tibet
You can visit Tibet all year round to explore different beauties. And the best time to visit Tibet is from April to the beginning of November. April brings reliable weather in eastern Tibet. Central Tibet (including Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse and Tsedang) generally has very mild weather from April to September, though July and August can be rainy. October and November often bring some dazzlingly clear weather and moderate temperatures. Mt Everest is particularly clear during April and May.
Actually, the best time to visit depends on what part of Tibet you’re heading for, but for most places in Tibet, pick May, June or September to October (exclusive of the rainy season).
