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Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, sits on the Xiang River in south-central China at approximately 28.23°N, 112.94°E. It has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — with hot, humid, rainy summers and cool, damp, cloudy winters — shaped by the East Asian monsoon, and is known for hot summers and a distinct early-summer rainy spell.
Summer, from June to August, is hot and humid, with July and August the warmest months — average highs around 33–34°C — and heatwaves that can exceed 38–40°C, made to feel heavier by high humidity. Early summer brings the plum rains, a spell of persistent, sometimes heavy rain in June, after which mid-summer can turn hot and comparatively drier under the subtropical high.
Winter, from December to February, is cool, damp and grey rather than severely cold, with January the coolest month — average highs around 9–10°C and lows near 3–5°C. Frost occurs on the coldest nights and snow is occasional, but the season is dominated by persistent cloud, drizzle and raw, penetrating dampness that makes it feel colder than the readings suggest.
Changsha is wet, receiving around 1,400–1,500 mm of rain a year, concentrated in spring and early summer — the plum-rain season around April to June is the wettest — while mid-to-late summer and winter are relatively drier, though rain falls year-round. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.
Changsha's weather is marked by its hot, sticky summers — hot enough to rank it among China's sweltering inland cities — and by the plum rains of early summer, a monsoon-driven spell of prolonged, sometimes heavy rain that soaks the region before the peak heat arrives. Its damp, grey, penetrating winters, though mild in temperature, can feel raw thanks to the persistent humidity and cloud.
To follow any single measurement in Changsha more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.