Kangding Weather and Climate: Best Time to Visit Kangding

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Set in Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, Kangding is a county-level city that sits at 2,560 meters above sea level. Divided into 3 towns and 18 separate townships, Kangding covers a large area of land, and actually has two different climates from west to east.

Kangding is a county-level city.

Weather and Climate

Separated into two different climactic areas, half of Kangding sits on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, while the other half lies in the slightly lower mountain canyon of the Yala River valley. This gives the area a separate type of climate from west to east, although both are monsoon-influenced climates, with four-season weather systems. Spring and autumn are fairly short in the area, and summer is only slightly longer. Winter is the longest season of all, running mainly from early November until late March.

Kangding Weather Condition By Region

To the east of Kangding itself, the area lies on the edge of the high Tibetan Plateau, and the climate is one very similar to that of Eastern Tibet. Although lower than the 4,000-plus meters of the majority of the region, the Tibetan area of Sichuan also suffers from the unimpeded arctic air that flows down from the north. While the area is still within the southern part of Asia, the tropical and equatorial air masses cannot penetrate into the region due to the belt of mountains that force them away. This means that the climate is predominantly cold, with several areas where mountains are covered in snow all year round.

This form of continental plateau climate is one that produces sharp seasonal variations between the hot summer months and the cold winters. The climate in the west is dryer, with less annual rainfall, and colder winters, albeit with only around 18 inches of snowfall annually.

The east of Kangding lies on the edge of the high Tibetan Plateau.

The eastern side of Kangding County is predominantly sub-tropical in climate, with deep valleys spread across the east and north of the region. Usually the subtropical climate gives way to long, dry and hot summer, short, mild and wet winter and very short transition seasons. The climate zone is influenced more by the tropical air masses moving north, countering the northern arctic air flow before it reaches the lower lands of Southwest China. Subtropical climate zones are more beneficial for human habitation.

The high walls of the mountain canyons keep out the cold, arctic airflow that diverts east from the plateau in the winter months, keeping the climate warmer than on the plateau area. Warm streams of air rising from the south and southeast also help to keep the climate warmer in the deep, canyon valleys, giving rise to more vegetation and higher rainfall. However, this does not preclude the absence of snow in the area. Despite the warmer winters, nighttime temperatures can still drop below freezing, and prompt snowfall where a subtropical climate would not normally see such.

Kangding Weather Condition By Season

Seasonally, the weather in Kangding varies very little from west to east. The area has a short, late spring followed by a wet summer and short autumn. Winter is the predominant season in the region, and lasts for almost five months, from November to mid-March.

Spring is normally from May to June, after the snow has melted on the mountainsides through April. Spring temperatures are normally between seven and 18 degrees throughout the season, with the temperatures averaging around 20 degrees at the height of summer. Rains start falling more in May, and increase through to the end of June, when it drops to the monsoon summer in July through to September. While June may have a higher average monthly rainfall, most of that occurs in the latter part of the month, as the monsoon season gets under way.

The snow has melted on the mountainsides.

At the other end of the monsoon season, September sees the end of the heavy rains, and the latter half of the month is considerable dryer. The rest of autumn runs through to the end of October, with much less rain, but also lower temperatures, especially at night.

As winter descends, the rains are almost nothing, and the temperatures start to drop from November, reaching their lowest average around early-January. Winter temperatures range between 5 degrees and minus ten, though the coldest times are normally at night. Snows start to cover the mountains and higher altitude valleys through late December, and will not start to melt off the mountainsides again until early April.

Best Time to Visit Kangding and Surrounding Attractions

There are many attractions around the area of Kangding, and each has its own ideal time to visit. For Kangding itself, the best time to visit depends on what you came there to see. For those traveling to Yala to hike around the mountain, the best time is in the late spring or autumn. Winter is a snowy time of year, and not good for trekking, and although summer is wetter around Yala Snow Mountain than at any other time of year, it is not so bad to stop you from hiking around the mountain trail.

The Best Time to Visit Mt. Gongga

Spring in Mount Gongga area runs from March to May, and the average temperature is around 7 degrees centigrade. With low average rainfall, spring is the perfect time to tour the area around Minya Konka to see the early spring blooms in the valley, especially the sea of azalea flowers, and get a good view of the snow-covered mountains. The air can be fairly dry, and there is a good chance of clear skies with few clouds. Sunscreen and sunhats are a good idea, although down jackets and thermal clothing are a necessity as it can still get quite cold.

Mount Gongga

Autumn, or fall, is the most beautiful season in the area, and is the best season to visit Mount Gongga. The hills and valleys of the whole region are covered in golden yellows, sunburnt oranges and deep reds, as the leaves of the forest trees change color ready to fall. Trekking through the valley in fall, which includes September, October, and November, you will get a visual feast with the colorful vegetation, and it is a great time for those perfect, autumn photos. For the reddest colors of the leaves, the best time is from mid-October, and once they fall, the ground is like a colorful carpet along the hiking trails.

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The Best Time to Visit Mugecuo Lake

Located right on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, Mugecuo Scenic Area has a cool summer and autumn, and a cold winter and spring. The best time to visit Mugecuo is from late April to the end of June, before the rainy, monsoon season sets in. This is the time when the azalea trees are in full bloom, and the azalea forests turn multiple shades of pink and lilac. It is also a good time for photography, as the slightly wetter tail end of June turns the grass a lush green, and the meadow blossoms start to come out, dotting the prairies with patches of color.

Mugecuo Lake

One the monsoon starts, from July to August, the blooms come out in full force, and the whole area is a multi-colored fairyland, full of beautiful flowers and lush green trees. For the photographer in you, this is an ideal time to visit, as is the fall, from October to November, as the leaves on the many deciduous trees in the park start to change color, and the mountainsides turn into a plethora of reds, golds, browns, and yellows.

The Best Time to Visit Xinduqiao

Set on the Tibetan Plateau to the west of Kangding, Xinduqiao is known as the “photographer’s paradise”, for the amazing scenery in the autumn. As the summer ends and the weather gets colder, the leaves turn golden color, and change constantly as the season progresses, from October to mid-November. The area is also a spectacular sight in the spring and summer, as you can capture the stunning colors of the blooms, as well as the lush grasslands, rolling hills, and golden cypress trees in full spread.

Xinduqiao

While winter has its attractions for some, the best time to travel to Xinduqiao is from June to November. By the end of November, the snow starts to fall, and the beauty of the golden autumn season disappears under a blanket of white.

The Best Time to Visit Tagong Grassland

Given that Tagong is at a relatively high altitude, even the summer is quite cool, compared to lower areas to the east. Temperatures can get extremely cold in winter, especially at night, so it is not the best time to visit, although access to the town is available all year round, and it has some beautiful wintery scenery when the snow falls. Summers can be quite wet, with a lot more rain than higher parts of Tibet during the monsoon season. Wet weather gear is essential, although it is worth it to see the grasslands in the rainy season, with lush green grass as far as the eye can see. Spring and fall are the best times to visit. The weather, although mild to cold, is pleasant, especially for trekking and horse riding across the huge expanse of Tagong Grasslands.

Tagong Grassland