Diqing Weather
Shangri-La is more than just a brand of a hotel or a mythical place described by James Hilton in his book Lost Horizon. For the people living in China, especially those who are in Diqing, it’s very real—and it’s found right there in the prefecture. Because of this, Diqing is constantly visited by curious travelers and avid adventurers who also wish to see and experience the mystical place to themselves. But before you head there, make sure that you’re fully aware of the climate of the region. This way, you can properly plan ahead and bring the right clothes to wear.
Location
The overall climate of Diqing is mainly affected by its location. Although it is still part of China, it’s already quite far off, somewhere closer to Tibet. In fact, it sits in the Tibetan Plateau, where the Qinghai Province can also be found. Diqing also has a considerable population of Tibetans and minorities.
It is incredibly lovely, blessed with natural meadows teeming with blooming flowers and towering trees. It is also covered by mountains and three parallel rivers, namely, Salween, Mekong, and Yangtze, which also feeds to several cities and provinces in the country. The Tibetan Plateau, meanwhile, is sometimes called the Roof of the World because it’s situated very high above sea level, about 3,380 meters. Thus, the climate is expected to be cold. However, it also gets quite warm, simply because it sits close to the Tropic of Cancer, which is then near the equator. To put it simply, although it’s cold and the air is dry, it still receives a good amount of sunshine the entire year. Another interesting thing to note is that the nights during springtime can be a lot colder than in winter. This could be because of the mists that are formed come night time in spring.
Climate in Shangri-La
Shangri-La is one of the counties that make up Diqing, and it is quite humid because it is already extremely elevated. Based on the data from 1971 to 2000, temperatures are the hottest during the months of May until August. The average high temperature in the area is around 25 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, the temperatures can dip to as much as -11 degrees Celsius from October to January. The weather still remains cold around March to April, but it’s whole lot better than the previous months.
When it comes to rain, you can expect a lot during the months of June to September, around the time when the temperature seems quite warm. This can then pose a problem since a lot of rain may bring blockage to roads.
Climate in Deqin
Deqin is another county that is part of Diqing Prefecture. It is found on the northwest. The hottest months are from June to August, with the average high temperature at 11 degrees Celsius. The coldest periods are from November until March, although the temperatures are not as low as those of Shangri-La. In a year the average low temperature is only 2 degrees Celsius. Precipitation, on the other hand, is a lot from July to August and it can rain as much as 600 mm a year. The average sun hours are almost 2,000 or roughly 80 days.
When Should You Visit Diqing?
There are two seasons to keep in mind if you wish to visit Diqing: summer and fall. The latter is around September to October. It would be lovely to see how the foliage change colors and the surroundings become more golden yellow. Summer is also a good time, despite the rain since the region looks very alive.