Shanghai records about 1159mm of rain across roughly 113 wet days a year, which is a 31% chance on an average day. June is the wettest month at 160mm (14% of the annual total) and December the driest at 42mm. Local rain type: monsoon. Shanghai's June plum rain season (meiyu) brings weeks of persistent drizzle. Typhoons threaten from July through September — monitor weather warnings.
Chance of rain on an average day: 31%
Rainfall climatology for Shanghai. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Annual rainfall | 1159mm |
| Rain days per year | 113 |
| Odds on an average day | 31% |
| Wettest month | June — 160mm over 17 days |
| Driest month | December — 42mm over 4 days |
| Rain type | monsoon |
| Best dry window | October and November offer the best balance of dry weather and comfortable temperatures. |
| Worst rain window | June brings meiyu (plum rain) — up to four weeks of continuous drizzle — followed by typhoon risk from July through September. |
June delivers 281% more rain than December (160mm vs 42mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 14% of the annual total, so rain in Shanghai is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Shanghai rain arrives in short, heavy bursts — shelter and timing matter more than gear.
Rain falls on about 17 days in June against 4 in December — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 74mm | 8 | 27% | 8°C |
| February | 59mm | 6 | 20% | 8°C |
| March | 84mm | 9 | 30% | 12°C |
| April | 94mm | 10 | 33% | 17°C |
| May | 84mm | 9 | 30% | 23°C |
| June | 160mm | 17 | 57% | 28°C |
| July | 147mm | 15 | 50% | 32°C |
| August | 133mm | 14 | 47% | 32°C |
| September | 87mm | 9 | 30% | 28°C |
| October | 64mm | 7 | 23% | 23°C |
| November | 51mm | 5 | 17% | 17°C |
| December | 42mm | 4 | 13% | 12°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Shanghai we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly probability | 40% | Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours. |
| Expected volume | 30% | Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking. |
| Timing & duration | 20% | When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window. |
| Local rain type | 10% | Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear. |
Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.
Shanghai records rain on roughly 113 days a year — about a 31% chance on any given day — totalling around 1159mm.
June, with about 160mm over 17 rain days. That is 14% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
December is the driest month at 42mm across roughly 4 days. October and November offer the best balance of dry weather and comfortable temperatures.
Shanghai's June plum rain season (meiyu) brings weeks of persistent drizzle. Typhoons threaten from July through September — monitor weather warnings.
No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.