Any thoughts about visiting Shanghai in January (well before Chinese New Year)? Is it worth a visit or too cold and polluted?

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It's June and ask later

I've been told that traditionally in China, north of some line buildings (for ordinary Chinese apartments and offices) can have central heat and south of the line, they have AC. Obviously this doesn't seem to apply to international hotels, etc. Shanghai seems to have AC so I would assume that some buildings get cold in winter. Wuhan is said to be south of the line.

FYI - the "line" defining north and south China is the Yangtze river. But this is public heating. Some places have private heating systems.

I've been twice to Shanghai in winter (late december both times). Generally, it might not be the *best* time to visit, but it's definitely better for me than the peak of summer, and I would (probably will ) visit back at that season.

The cold is decent, similar in my experience to what would get in western/southern europe, and seldom negative - not like in Beijing, for example. I've personnally never had issues with pollution - but maybe I was lucky with the dates I was there !

Indeed, cities south of the Yangtze generally do not have central heating, but that won't impact you if you are staying in hotels. Many apartments in Shanghai rely on reversible air-con during the winter, so that really should not be an issue

The cold in Shanghai is a wet cold and worse than the dry Beijing cold IMHO. Shanghai is a miserable and dreary place in January. It is also prone to a kind of thick, low hanging fog/smog mix that can be very slow to dissipate; so much so that they close the highways occasionally in the winter due to this. Sorry to put a damper on your plans, but it is what it is.

I don't know SH well, but have visited in winter as well as spring and autumn (avoided summer!). Staying in a hotel, as stated, will mean heating is fine. Comparing it unfavourably with the Beijing winter is rather odd to me: BJ in January is really, really cold, unpleasantly so, especially as a tourist, where the main sites (e.g GW) are very exposed. SH is cool but rarely gets much below freezing.

I would not hesitate to visit SH as a first-time visitor in Winter, but would have grave doubts about coming to BJ (for first time) in the same season.

So I guess you'll have to integrate your own opinions from the contrasting voices...good luck!

tb

If you plan to visit Suzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou, and the small canal towns along the way, the dreariness of winter can be very charming and atmospheric. I had the chance to visit West Lake in Hangzhou when it was both foggy and sunny, and I liked the foggy weather much better. Ditto for Yangzhou and the rest of the above mentioned places for that matter.

Correct me if I'm off; barring extreme circumstances, I expect the average temp in Shanghai in January to be 50 degrees F day, 35 degrees F night.

It's a bit colder than that

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/shanghai/weather-january.htm

I agree! Though, I do remember I was feeling a bit (too) cold when I was walking by the west lake. It was my first time in HZ though, and I really enjoyed it

I'd definitely rather be in Shanghai in January, rather than July/August.

It's cold, but not so bad to deter you from visiting.

I visited mid-February this year and the weather was so nice and warm you could almost mistake it for spring So you may get lucky.

Even May can be uncomfortably hot and humid.

I was there in December and didn't like it--it's much better in spring or fall. I wouldn't say it's terrible, though.

I moved here last December. January wasn't bad at all. However, CNY is early in 2016 (February 8th). There's a 40 day travel period surrounding this time. Honestly, you'd be best off coming after the Lantern Festival which marks the end of the CNY holiday. That would mean after the 22nd of February. At any time in those 40 days, travel can be difficult because so many people are moving about the country.