Anhui is an inland province in eastern China, best known for the granite peaks of Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), the UNESCO-listed Huizhou villages of Hongcun and Xidi, and the Buddhist mountain of Jiuhua Shan. Its capital and largest city is Hefei. Anhui is the home of Hui cuisine, Xuan paper and Hui ink, and some of China's most famous teas. It has no sea coast, but the Yangtze River, Chaohu Lake and Taiping Lake give it plenty of waterfront.
Anhui spans two climate zones. North of the Huai River (Bozhou, Fuyang, Suzhou) is warm-temperate and drier with cold winters; the centre and south (Hefei, Wuhu, Huangshan) is humid subtropical with hot summers, cool winters and a distinct Meiyu plum-rain season from mid-June to mid-July. The Huangshan summit is far cooler than the valley, with fog, rime ice in winter and a famous sea of clouds. Typhoons rarely land but remnants can reach the south in July-September. Figures are approximate long-term averages.
Best time to visit
Best: Year-round
Avoid: None
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
January
3°C/37°F
Cold and damp with occasional sleet; Hefei's lakes are quiet and hotels are cheapest. The Huangshan summit averages about -3C with rime ice and snow - stunning but slippery.
February
5°C/41°F
Chinese New Year travel and cold rain; snow is possible on Huangshan, with ice-covered pines. Cheap rates outside the holiday week.
March
10°C/50°F
Spring arrives; rapeseed flowers in the Huizhou villages start late March. Hefei is cool and changeable.
April
16°C/61°F
Warm, green and flowery; Hongcun and Xidi rapeseed fields peak in late March-April; Taiping Houkui and Keemun spring harvests begin.
May
21°C/70°F
Pleasant but increasingly humid; Huangshan azaleas bloom on the summit in May. Occasional heavy showers begin.
June
25°C/77°F
Meiyu plum rain begins mid-June with weeks of drizzle and flood risk; humidity is high. Sea-of-clouds chances on Huangshan are highest after rain.
July
29°C/84°F
Meiyu ends early July; Hefei turns hot (33C highs) and the Huangshan summit is a cool escape. Thunderstorms are frequent.
August
28°C/82°F
Very hot and humid in Hefei and Tunxi; the summit at about 19C is a refuge. Typhoon remnants can bring heavy rain.
September
23°C/73°F
Heat fades and clear skies return. Good for hiking; crowds are moderate until Golden Week.
October
18°C/64°F
Best month: clear, dry, cool; Huangshan autumn colour and sea of clouds; Golden Week Oct 1-7 is extremely crowded.
November
11°C/52°F
Cold mornings and late autumn colours in Xidi and Hongcun; first frost on the summit.
December
5°C/41°F
Cold and damp; snow possible on Huangshan; the Dec 20 - Jan 20 winter ticket price applies.
The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Spring
Months: Mar-May
Rapeseed flowers and tea-picking, mild temperatures of about 10-22C in Hefei and 11-23C in Tunxi, with frequent light rain. Huangshan azaleas bloom in May and the villages are photogenic in mist.
Summer
Months: Jun-Aug
Meiyu rain from mid-June to mid-July, then heat of 32-35C on the plains. The Huangshan summit stays around 16-19C and is the escape; sea-of-clouds chances are high after rain.
Fall
Months: Sep-Nov
Clear skies, cool nights and autumn colour; October is the most reliable month for Huangshan sunrise and visibility.
Winter
Months: Dec-Feb
Cold, damp and grey on the plains (0-9C), with snow and rime ice on Huangshan giving dramatic scenery at lower crowd levels and a cheaper ticket.
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- High Season
- Oct 1-7 (National Day Golden Week), Labour Day (May 1-5), Chinese New Year week (Jan/Feb) and summer weekends on Huangshan and Hongcun
- Shoulder Season
- Apr-May, late Sep and Nov (good weather, manageable crowds)
- Low Season
- Dec-Feb (cold, cheaper) and the Meiyu rain weeks of mid-June to early July
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
Rapeseed flower season
Yellow fields around Xidi, Hongcun and other Huizhou villages peak, drawing photographers to the white-walled houses and ponds
Qingming and spring tea harvest
Taiping Houkui and Qimen Keemun spring tea is picked; tea villages offer tastings
Huangshan azalea bloom
Wild azaleas colour the summit slopes; May is typically the best flower window
Meiyu (Plum Rain) season
Weeks of drizzle and humidity across Anhui; heavy rain occasionally floods streets, but frequent Huangshan sea-of-clouds views follow
National Day Golden Week
Peak domestic travel; Huangshan and Hongcun reach visitor caps and prices rise
Huangshan winter ticket season
Reduced ticket price of CNY 150 (~$22); best chance for snow and rime-ice photography