Tibet Weather and What to Pack for your Tibet Travel

Tibet Weather- Clear and Blue Sky in Lhasa

Tibet is located in the southwestern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The unique plateau climate brings Tibet thin air, low air pressure and low oxygen. With an average elevation of 4500 meters, Tibet weather can be described “extreme”, but Tibet’s uniqueness, charms and mysteries still attract tens of thousands tourists every year.  

Before you travel to Tibet, to know more information about Tibet weather and climate is quite necessary. Our article below will introduce it from four aspects: temperature, air humidity, wind and solar radiation. Keep reading to know more details.

Part 1. Tibet Temperature
Part 2. Air humidity of Tibet
Part 3. Wind of Tibet
Part 4. Solar Radiation of Tibet
Part 5. What to Pack for Tibet Weather
Part 6: 6 Major Tourism Areas in Tibet upon Weather Comfort Index

Part 1. Tibet Temperature 

Normally, people’s first impression on Tibet climate is chill. But in fact, Tibet is not as cold as you imagine. The key features of Tibet temperature are listed here for your reference.

Tibet Weather - Four Seasons in one mountain

• Four seasons in a day
  In Tibet, you might experience the four seasons in a day. For example, in June, Lhasa and Shigatse can reach a maximum temperature of 27 - 29 ℃ at noon, giving people a feeling of midsummer. The temperature drops in the evening, and you can feel the autumn cool. At midnight, the temperature drops to 0 - 5 ℃, and you need to cover a quilt all night like winter. After the morning sunrise, the temperature starts to rise, bringing people the warmth of spring.
• Large temperature difference between day and night
  Thin and clean air brings Tibet rich sunlight and heat, so the temperature is high during the day. And the sparse vegetation makes it difficult to store heat on the ground, so that the heat gained during the day will quickly disappear. Therefore, it is cold at night in Tibet.
• Small annual temperature range
  Because of the high altitude, Tibet’s summer is not very hot compared to other regions of the same latitude. And in winter, you can hardly find any traces of clouds in the endless blue sky. The sufficient sunshine makes Tibet’s winter not so cold, especially during the day. It is proved that the average temperature is over 10 °C.

Check the monthly temperature of the most-visited places in Tibet below and pick the best time to visit Tibet.

Part 2. Air Humidity of Tibet 

Tibet Weather- Annual precipitation in Tibet

Located in high altitude region, because of the long sunshine hours and rapid water evaporation, the air humidity of Tibet is quite low. Lip balm is a must-have item here and you’d better always carry one. Actually, the air humidity is related to weather conditions.

• Tibet has less rainfall in winter and spring, so the air is relatively dry.
• From the end of June to the end of August, Tibet enters the rainy season. There are more rainfalls and the air humidity is relatively high. Noticeably, even during the rainy season, Tibet's daytime is basically sunny, and rainfalls only occur at night, which will not affect your travel plans.

   

Part 3. Wind of Tibet 

Tibet Weather - Wind Speed

In Tibet, you might notice that almost everyone on the street wears masks and hats, which are essentials for them. There is a long wind season from November to April in Tibet. It hurts when the cold wind blows on face, so Tibetans often wear masks and hats for protection.

• The wind occurs mostly in February and March, and that often lasts 3-5 days.
• Compared with southeastern Tibet, western and northern Tibet are more frequently visited by strong winds.
• Since Tibet has a high terrain and low air density, the wind pressure is relatively small. For instance, it is actually not a disaster to scrape force 8 gale in Tibet.

Part 4. Solar Radiation of Tibet 

Tibet Weather - Solar Radiation

To travel in Tibet, you must pay attention to sun protection because of the strong solar radiation. Even in summer, it is not recommended to wear short-sleeved T-shirts. Directly exposing skin to the sun will easily cause sunburn.

• Tibet is high in altitude and close to the sun, so there is plenty of sunshine. This makes Tibet a place with a lot of solar radiation.
• Moreover, due to Tibet’s thin and clear air, when sunlight passes through the atmosphere, energy loses less. Thus the solar radiation in Tibet is really strong. For example, Lhasa has a total of 3021 hours of sunshine per year, and it is known as “Sunlight City”.

Part 5. What to Pack for Tibet Weather 

Due to the complexity and uncertainty of Tibet weather, there are some essentials you can pack for your Tibet travel.

• Long sleeve sunscreen t-shirts to prevent sunburn 
• A warm, breathable, windproof and rainproof jacket is not a must-have, but proving to be the most practical outfit
• A thermos bottle to stay hydrated
• Sunglasses for eyes protection from sunshine
• Mask and hat to protect you from cold wind and strong UV radiation

Part 6: 6 Major Tourism Areas in Tibet our of Weather Comfort Index 

Tibet Weather - 5 Major Tourism Areas in Tibet upon Weather Comfort Index

In order to provide better services for tourists, Tibet Meteorological Bureau divides Tibet into 6 major tourism areas out of the weather comfort index that includes temperature, air humidity, wind, sunshine and other climate conditions. This helps travelers make reasonable travel plans.

As shown in the map:
Area Ⅰ (Harsh ) : Covers Amdo and parts of the southern edge of Tibet.
Area Ⅱ (Hard): Covers Ali, southwest of Shigatse and most parts of Nagqu.
Area III (Moderate): Covers most of the area along Yarlung Zangbo River.
Area Ⅳ (Good): Mainly refers to the western part of Nyingchi, Qamdo, and Basu.
Area Ⅴ (Comfortable): Refers to the southeast of Nyingchi.