Beijing Topographic Features
Beijing is located at the northwest end of the North China Plain, between 115 ° 20 ′ and 117 ° 30 ′ east longitude and 39 ° 28 ′ to 41 ° 05 ′ north latitude. It is in the middle of the Haihe River basin, adjacent to the Bohai Bay, bordering Liaodong Peninsula on the top and Shandong Peninsula on the bottom.
The western part of Beijing is under the Taihang Mountains, while the northern and northeastern parts are under the Yanshan Mountains. The highest peak is Dongling Mountain in Mentougou District, west of Beijing, with an elevation of 2303 meters. The lowest ground level is the southeast boundary of Tongzhou District. The two mountains intersect in the Nankouguan Pass, forming a semi circular mountain bay that stretches southeast, known as the "Beijing Bay", and the area it surrounds is the Beijing Plain.
Bejing Climate & Weather
The city of Beijing falls in the monsoon region. It has cold and dry winters, due to the Siberian air masses that move southward across the Mongolian Plateau, and hot and wet summers, owing to warm and humid monsoon winds from the southeast bringing Beijing most of its annual precipitation.
| Beijing Temperature and Rainfall | |||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
Temp. |
(F) | 24.3 | 28.6 | 41.2 | 56.5 | 68 | 75.6 | 78.6 | 76.3 | 67.3 | 54.9 | 39.7 | 28.0 |
| (C) | -4.3 | -1.9 |
5.1 | 13.6 | 20.0 | 24.2 | 25.9 | 24.6 | 19.6 | 12.7 | 4.3 | -2.2 | |
| Rainfall (mm) | 2.6 | 5.9 | 9.0 | 26.4 | 28.7 | 70.7 | 175.6 | 182.2 | 48.7 | 18.8 | 6.0 | 2.3 | |
Days of rainfall |
0.7 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 5.9 | 10.3 | 9.4 | 4.4 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 0.7 |
|
There are four very distinct seasons, with a wide temperature variation between winter (down to well below freezing) and summer, when the mercury can hit up to nearly 40 - (104'H). January is the coldest month and July is the hottest. Winter usually begins towards the end of October. During the height of summer, July and August, Beijing is subject to sudden evening downpours, so an umbrella comes in handy. Spring and autumn are relatively short seasons. The weather in Autumn is lovely with blue skies, pleasantly mild temperatures and slight humidity.There are sometimes sandstorms in winter and early spring, caused by sand blown South from the Gobi Desert due to desertification.
Best Time to Visit Beijing
Beijing Spring ( March 15 – May 15)
Spring lasts 60 days from March 15 to May 15. But a warmer spring usually starts early April and ends early May. So a warm springtime in Beijing lasts over one month. Kindly reminder: Wind and dust can be possible in the March. Generally speaking, Beijing is dry and windy in spring. Spring is the equal of autumn in terms of temperatures and rainfall, apart from the occasional sandstorms.
Beijing Summer (June, July and August)
Beijing Summer time falls on June, July and August, also a rainy season in Beijing, wet and humid. But July and August are the hottest months in Beijing. Summer is onsidered peak season, when hotels typically raise their rates and most of the attractions are filled with tourists.
Beijing Autumn ( Sep 05 – Nov 15)
Autumn lasts 60 days from September 05 to November 15. Autumn is unanimously regarded as the best season to visit Beijing with sunny and azure sky and mild weather. Autumn is optimal--the weather is gorgeous. Locals describe this short season as "the sky is high and the air is fresh". Get out and enjoy the best fall colors period from October 15 throughout November 15 in Beijing .
Beijing Winter (Nov. 15 – next year Mar 15)
Winter time lasts four months from Nov. 15 till next year March 15. Yes, it is very cold in winter, especially if there is a strong northwest wind. If no wind, then the feeling temperature will be much higher due to the dry weather in Beijing. It seems cold in winter when the temperature rarely gets above freezing in Beijing, but if you are suitably dressed for the cold and love ice skating, stunning snow scenery or steaming Mutton Hot Pot, then this is also a pleasant season. You will have Beijing to yourself in winter and many hotels offer substantial discounts.
Crowd Information
Beijing gets very crowded and busy during school vacations and public holidays (July and August) in Beijing. You are kindly advised to skip over the Official Chinese Holidays when you plan your Beijing tour. Please jot down the following public holidays:
New Year’Day ( 1st Jan, three-day holiday )
Chinese New Year ( later Jan and early Feb )
Tomb Sweeping Day ( Early April, 3-day holiday )
Mid-Autumn festival ( Aug-Sept, 3-day holiday )
May Day ( 1st May, three-day holiday)
National Day (1st Oct, week-long holiday)
Festivals, such as Chinese New Year (usually in January or February) and National Day (October 1st) are colorful and fun, but transportation is difficult and prices are high because of the large movement of people visiting their families.