Discover the best time of year, based on historical climate, temperature, and precipitation.
The best weather in Dalian is from May, June, September. — consistent weather climate
☀️Pleasant
| Score | 23 | 25 | 36 | 56 | 86 | 86 | 73 | 65 | 88 | 78 | 34 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate | Polar | Polar | Cold | Cold | Mild | Pleasant | Humid | Rainy | Pleasant | Mild | Cold | Cold |
| Temperature | -5–1°C | -4–2°C | 1–8°C | 7–14°C | 13–20°C | 18–24°C | 22–27°C | 23–28°C | 19–24°C | 11–18°C | 4–10°C | -3–3°C |
| Feels like | -11–-5°C | -9–-3°C | -3–4°C | 3–11°C | 10–18°C | 18–25°C | 25–31°C | 26–32°C | 19–25°C | 8–15°C | -1–6°C | -8–-2°C |
| Precipitation | 8mm 3 days | 10mm 2 days | 18mm 2 days | 34mm 3 days | 66mm 5 days | 73mm 6 days | 130mm 9 days | 153mm 12 days | 63mm 6 days | 31mm 4 days | 38mm 4 days | 11mm 3 days |
| Sunshine | 7.9h ☀︎ 81% | 8.6h ☀︎ 80% | 10.0h ☀︎ 83% | 10.0h ☀︎ 75% | 10.2h ☀︎ 72% | 10.6h ☀︎ 72% | 10.1h ☀︎ 69% | 9.6h ☀︎ 70% | 9.8h ☀︎ 78% | 8.6h ☀︎ 77% | 7.0h ☀︎ 69% | 7.1h ☀︎ 74% |
| Wind | NW · 25 km/h | NW · 25 km/h | W · 25 km/h | W · 26 km/h | SW · 25 km/h | S · 21 km/h | SE · 20 km/h | S · 19 km/h | SW · 20 km/h | NW · 23 km/h | NW · 26 km/h | NW · 25 km/h |
| Humidity (%) | 60% | 61% | 63% | 61% | 68% | 78% | 86% | 82% | 75% | 65% | 65% | 61% |
| Day length | 9.8h | 10.7h | 12.0h | 13.2h | 14.3h | 14.8h | 14.6h | 13.7h | 12.4h | 11.2h | 10.1h | 9.5h |
Held annually in September, this festival transforms Dalian into a vibrant hub of style and creativity. Travelers can ex…
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Dalian is at its most radiant in early autumn and late spring, when gentle maritime breezes replace northern chills—yet crowds bafflingly peak in the freezing depths of December, completely missing the mild coastal sunshine that makes this port city exceptional.
Perched at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, where the Bohai Sea meets the Yellow Sea, Dalian has always lived with its face turned to the water. Historically coveted as Dalniy and Dairen for its ice-free harbor, the city wears its layered past openly in the Russian and Japanese stone facades circling grand roundabouts, framed against sweeping coastal highways. Unlike the inland cities of Northeast China that buckle under harsh continental extremes, Dalian is softened by the sea, but only if you arrive when the waters actually work in your favor. Visit when the Siberian winds roar down the peninsula and you will find a wind-whipped fortress; catch it when the ocean currents steady the air, and it feels like an East Asian Riviera.
September is uncontested as the finest month on the peninsula. The humid summer storms that roll off the Yellow Sea break abruptly, leaving behind crisp, blue-sky afternoons where temperatures sit comfortably in the mid-twenties. The sea has absorbed months of summer warmth, moderating the breeze and keeping evenings gentle rather than sharp. This is when walking along Binhai Road feels effortless, the wooded cliffs on one side and quiet ocean expanses on the other bathed in slanted, golden sunlight.
Remarkably, this peak of perfection coincides with a pronounced drop in visitors. While domestic travelers surge elsewhere, Dalian quiets down. The city leans into its stylish identity during the Dalian International Fashion Festival in September, when open-air shows and cultural exhibitions animate the public plazas. By October, the city takes on amber tones, especially around the leafy walkways of Labor Park. Daytime highs hover around eighteen degrees before dropping into bracing, fresh nights. For travelers seeking the best combination of clear horizons, seafood feasts, and open waterfronts, this window is unmatched.
Spring arrives deliberately in Dalian, held back by the cold sea until May, when the city suddenly wakes up in vibrant color. Late April and May bring the Dalian Cherry Blossom Festival, scattering pale petals across parks and suburban hillsides while the first truly comfortable afternoons invite long strolls through Lushun. It is an energetic, outdoorsy time: thousands gather along the coastline for the Dalian International Marathon and the Dalian International Walking Festival, filling the wide seaside avenues with vibrant local life.
June delivers an easy transition into early summer. Days stretch long and sunny, yet the heat remains tempered by offshore currents, rarely climbing past the mid-twenties. The sprawling paved expanse of Xinghai Square—one of the largest public squares on earth—comes alive in the late afternoons with kite-flyers, rollerbladers, and families enjoying the sea breeze as the sun sinks into the bay. It is warm enough for boat trips along the Donggang waterfront without the stifling humidity that defines midsummer.
Midsummer brings the monsoon trough north. July and August turn sticky, damp, and unpredictable, with heavy coastal cloud cover and sudden, drenching downpours that frequently interrupt outdoor plans. The apparent temperature easily breaks thirty degrees, and the air stays thick with salt and moisture, making steep cliffside walks or climbs up coastal lookouts a sweaty chore.
Yet summer has a distinct, boisterous charm for those who do not mind the damp. The Dalian International Beer Festival takes over open grounds in July and August, channeling the city's historic brewing heritage into cavernous tents, live rock performances, and endless skewers of grilled squid. Crowds gather at Tiger Beach to escape the inland heat, but sea fog often obscures the headlands, and the beaches can feel tightly packed. If you travel now, come for the seafood night markets and the festival energy, not for crisp panoramas.
Winter along the Liaodong Peninsula is an austere, windy affair. Beginning in November, the protective marine shield collapses, and raw northwesterly gales sweep down from the interior. Apparent temperatures regularly dip below freezing, and the wind chill whipping off the sea cuts through standard winter layers. By January and February, daytime highs barely graze zero, and walking across exposed squares like Zhongshan Square feels like an endurance test.
The great paradox of Dalian's calendar is December, which registers the highest crowd volume of the entire year despite being among the coldest, grayest months on record. Business travelers and winter holidaymakers flood into the city center, filling hotels even as the outdoors shuts down. If you find yourself in Dalian during January or February, Chinese New Year brings spirited warmth to residential neighborhoods with red lanterns and fireworks, but commercial life slows to a crawl. Unless your goal is to witness frozen sea spray along the harbor walls, save this coast for when the water welcomes you.