How about the weather in Dalian? If you have never been here, what should you expect? This post will help you understand more about what the weather will be like here in Dalian. Hopefully, it will give you a good overview of the weather in Dalian.
What is the weather like?
Dalian, China is about as far north as Washington D.C. in the United States. Dalian has a fairly mild climate. The winters are cold but bearable, and the summers are warm but not too hot. Generally in the winter the average high will be about 37°F and the low will be about 23°F. In the summer, the average high will be about 84°F and the low will be about 71°F. Another factor that is involved in Dalian weather is the wind. Because Dalian is right on the ocean and on a peninsula, there is often a lot of wind. The wind will make the weather in the winter seem even colder, but it makes the warmer months a little cooler and very pleasant. Dalian usually has low amounts of precipitation. It averages only 24in. of precipitation annually. Most days will be sunny without rain though many days, especially in the summer, will have fog roll in off the ocean.
How do I need to prepare for the weather?
You need to have warm clothes for the winter months. The wind will make you feel miserable if you are not dressed warm enough. It is best to make sure that you have a good jacket, gloves, and hat when you go out in the cold. Because you walk places a lot more here then you would say in the states it is especially important to make sure you dress warmly.
What is the air quality and pollution like?
Northern China is well known for its pollution problems and high smog levels. Dalian also suffers from pollution and bad air quality at times. Air quality is usually measured by the AQI index shown in the graph below:
Generally Dalian experiences moderate pollution problems. Pollution levels are usually in the yellow and orange AQI levels meaning that the air is not the cleanest, but that it doesn`t pose too much of a health risk. However occasionally especially in the winter when the city is being heated by coal there will be some high smog level days. If you go back one year from today (June 22nd, 2015), there have been 17 days where the smog level has reached into the red, purple, and maroon unhealthy levels. Twice the smog level in this past year has reached into the hazardous zone with the highest day being 393.
So smog is definitely a problem here, but it is not as bad as some cities in China. Beijing for example going back a year from today has had over a 100 days where the smog level reached into the red, purple, or maroon unhealthy zones. However compared to my hometown of Atlanta, GA where they have yet to have a day fall into the unhealthy red zone this year, Dalian has a lot of smog.
You can check the air quality constantly on your phone. There are many apps that will tell you what the current and past smog levels are at. The app I used to collect the above data is called Air Quality. Because of there being a risk of a high smog day every once in a while in Dalian, I would suggest checking to see what the air quality is each day on your phone. If you find out that the smog level is extremely high one day, then maybe wear a mask that day.
Weather Chart
Dalian has all 4 distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. It is plentiful in sunshine, though there doesn’t seem to be as many “blue sky” days due to recent air pollution.
Another thing you will notice is the wind! Dalian has strong winds all year long.
Here is a break of the weather by month showing the temperature, seasons, and precipitation.
| Months: | Temperature: | Precipitation: |
| January | Coldest (10-30s) / Winter | Snow |
| February | Cold (20-30s) / Winter | Snow |
| March | Cold (30-40s) / Winter | Light Snow/Rain |
| April | Cold to Warm (40-50s) / Spring | Light Rain |
| May | Warm (50-60s) / Spring | Moderate Rain |
| June | Warm to Hot (60-70s) / Summer | Heavy Rain |
| July | Hot (70-80s) / Summer | Heavy Rain |
| August | Hottest (70-80s) / Summer | Heavy Rain |
| September | Hot to Warm (70-60s) / Fall | Moderate Rain |
| October | Warm (60-50s) / Fall | Light Rain |
| November | Warm to Cold (50-30s) / Winter | Light Rain/Snow |
| December | Cold (30-20s) / Winter | Snow |
Note: This is a helpful chart but all are estimates. The weather can change and be “not normal” just like anywhere else.
Info for this article obtained from the following sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalian#Climate
- http://www.wunderground.com/history
- http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi
- Air Quality App
- http://www.air.dnr.state.ga.us/smogforecast/stats.php