Lhasa Weather

Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet and the starting point of Tibet travel. It's also called the City of Sunlight with average daily sunshine of more than 8 hours. Every year thousands of tourists flock to this snow-covered plateau of Tibet to admire its broadness and magnificence. But due to Tibet's mystery, many tourists do not know much about Tibet especially the weather and climate of the Tibetan plateau and how to dress appropriately there. This article will give you a detailed explanation of the weather and clothing for traveling in Lhasa city.

Features of Lhasa Weather

Lhasa is located on the north side of the Himalayas, with sunny weather throughout the year, sparse rainfall, no severe cold in winter, and no intense heat in summer. It belongs to a plateau temperate semi-arid monsoon climate. 

Low temperature, small annual temperature difference but a larger diurnal temperature difference.

“There are four seasons in a day” is a vivid portrayal of Lhasa weather and climate. During the peak tourist season from June to September every year, the highest temperature in Lhasa at noon can reach 27°C-29°C, giving people the feeling of midsummer. In the evening, the temperature begins to drop to 15°C, people having a sense of cool autumn. At midnight, it falls to 0°C-5°C, and people need to cover quilts all night as if it were winter. The next morning, after sunrise, the temperature rises again and it's as warm as spring.

The boundary between the dry season and the rainy season is obvious, and it usually rains at night.

The rainy season in Lhasa is from June to August, but it usually rains at night so rainy days in Lhasa will not affect the good weather the next day. After the rain, the weather will be fine and sunny. Lhasa's night rain affects more the road conditions, but most of the roads open to traffic in Tibet have been blackened. Therefore, the rainy season in Lhasa will not affect the scheduled itinerary of ordinary tourists.

Thin air, strong solar radiation.

This is the climatic characteristic of the entire snowy plateau. Due to the high altitude and sparse vegetation, the air is thin and clean, the dust and moisture content is low, and the atmospheric transparency is high.

When the sunlight penetrates the atmosphere, there is little solar radiation energy loss, so there are sufficient sunlight and large radiation, which makes Tibetan Plateau the place with the most solar radiation in the country.

Because of the annual sunshine duration of 3021 hours and an average of more than 8 hours of sunshine per day, Lhasa is called the "Sunshine City". From here we can also see that there is often night rain even during the rainy season in Lhasa. After the sunrise, the sunshine will come as scheduled. Thus, many tourists would choose to travel to Lhasa to sunbathe in winter and feel the unique charm of Tibet under the sunshine of the holy city. 

Lhasa Weather Overview with Monthly Temperature

What Clothes Do Tourists Need to Bring to Lhasa in Four Seasons?

Due to the large temperature difference between day and night in Lhasa, the dressing guide here is only a recommended reference. Tourists are also requested to add or remove clothing according to their physical fitness. In addition, it should be noted that Tibet is dry and windy in winter and spring. 

Spring (Mar. - Apr.) Dressing Guide for Lhasa: 

The weather in Lhasa in spring is still a little bit cold as it's slightly snowy and very windy. At this time, Lhasa's winter atmosphere is still relatively strong, with an average daily temperature of about 10 degrees.

How to dress in Lhasa in spring: You can choose the matching form of thermal underwear+ thick outer trousers, thick sweater + thick coat for the top, as well as thick sports shoes + thick socks. It is recommended to choose pure cotton underwear, which can effectively reduce static electricity and is comfortable to wear.

Summer (May. - Aug.) Dressing Guide for Lhasa:

The summer in Lhasa is very comfortable and cool, with an average daily temperature of about 25 degrees, which makes Lhasa an ideal summer resort. Although it rains at night during the rainy season, it's still sunny brightly in the daytime. Summer is also the peak season of Lhasa travel. It should be noted that the temperature in Lhasa is cool in the morning and evening in summer, so be careful not to catch a cold.

How to dress in Lhasa in summer: You can choose long sleeves + thin overcoat for tops, long pants, and sports shoes. It is recommended to dress in pure cotton underwear (Tibet's climate is so dry that non-cotton underwear produces more static cling). As the sun comes out in the daytime, the outdoor temperature will be a little high and the UV rays are very strong. It is not recommended to wear short T-shirts and shorts. Please pay attention to the sunscreen. The indoor temperature during the day is very refreshing and a long sleeve is enough. In summer, there is no need for air conditioning to cool off the heat in Lhasa.

Autumn(Sep. - Oct.) Dressing Guide for Lhasa:

In Lhasa in autumn, the chill is gradually rising. However, the fall in Lhasa is very short, only lasting for more than two months. The temperature is similar to that in spring but drier, mainly chill in the morning and evening, and the temperature is still very comfortable during the day. The scenery of Lhasa in autumn looks gorgeous with a clear blue sky.

How to dress in Lhasa in autumn: You can choose the matching form of thermal underwear + normal thick over-trousers, normal thick sweater + thick coat for your clothes, general sports shoes, and 100% pure cotton underwear.

Winter (Nov. - Feb.) Dressing Guide for Lhasa:

The Winter in Lhasa is long and a bit cold, but it's not as cold as you think, even warmer than most cities in northern China in winter. Lhasa has plenty of sunshine in winter. Compared with Summer, there're fewer tourists but more peaceful and quiet. So, many tourists who like tranquillity will choose to travel to Lhasa in winter to enjoy the sunshine and warmth.

How to dress in Lhasa in winter? You can choose thermal underwear + thick sweater and heavy coat (better to take down jacket) for tops, thick pants, warm shoes against the cold and cotton underwear.

Tips: It's recommended to take gloves, a hat and a scarf to keep warm.

Conclusion

Due to the relatively high altitude in Lhasa, the overall temperature is low. From July to early August, it's the peak tourist season in Lhasa but it's also the rainy season so tourists should keep warm and avoid catching a cold. The whole body equipment, including tops, pants and shoes, should have been waterproof. During the rainy season, although it only rains at night in Lhasa, it's necessary to take a light down jacket, fleece jacket, fleece pants, gloves and hats.