Best Time to Visit Puyang

Spring: green hills, but damp

March feels cool and grey, with rain on about half the days. By April it's warmer and the rating climbs to Good. Highs reach 23°C, and the hills around Puyang turn fresh and green. It's a pleasant time for walks in the countryside, but bring a small umbrella, because showers come often.

May is where things turn. It gets warmer and wetter, with rain on 15 days and a Poor rating. Puyang sits in Zhejiang, so you're in the region's plum-rain season (called meiyu), when long spells of drizzle settle in. It runs through June.

Summer: hot, sticky and very wet

June is the wettest month, with 276 mm of rain on 19 days and only about two hours of sun a day. July and August are the hottest, both with highs of 32°C and warm nights of 24°C. Humidity stays above 80%, so afternoons feel heavy and sticky.

Summer is also school-holiday season in China, so popular spots in Zhejiang get busier. If you can't travel at any other time, plan indoor stops for the middle of the day. Save outdoor walks for the morning or after the evening cools. August is sunnier than June or July, but it's still humid and rainy.

Autumn: the best time to come

October is our top pick. It's the only month with both Excellent weather and the lowest rainfall of the warm season: 69 mm on 8 days. Highs of 24°C and the most sun of the year, about five hours a day, make it good for hiking and long days out. November is also rated Excellent, a little cooler at 19°C, and a good choice if you like quiet.

Early October has one catch. China's National Day holiday, in the first week, sends many domestic travellers onto the roads and trains. If you hate crowds, aim for mid-October or November.

Winter: cold, quiet and low season

December has some of the drier days of the year, with rain on 8 days, and the rating is Good. January and February are colder, with lows near freezing and damp, grey days. Homes here often aren't heated well, so it can feel colder indoors than the numbers suggest.

Chinese New Year usually falls in late January or February. Many local shops close for a few days as people travel to see family. Outside that week, it's the quietest time of year.