National Day holiday 2026: mild October pattern, current week still hot south

Oct 1 – Oct 7 · 13 days to go; forecast not yet in range · updated daily

The forecast does not yet reach the National Day holiday 2026, with 13 days to go. The current seven-day forecast (18 Sep – 24 Sep), not the holiday itself, still shows late-summer heat in the south and southeast: Fujian and Jiangxi currently average 34.5°C, Guangxi 34.4°C and Guangdong 34.3°C. The coolest provinces this week are on the plateau and in the far north, led by Qinghai at 20°C with lows near -0.5°C, Tibet at 22.4°C with lows near -0.2°C, and Heilongjiang at 24.5°C with lows near 1.2°C. For the holiday period itself, use the usual October pattern: North China is generally 15 to 22°C, the Yangtze region 18 to 26°C, and the south coast 25 to 30°C with less rain than in summer.

Rain risk this week is concentrated in the west and southwest. Tibet has rain on 4 of 7 days, while Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing and Qinghai each have 3 of 7 rain days. That points to more changeable skies on plateau and mountain routes, where mornings can also be cold. Elsewhere, 19 of 34 provinces are currently dry, so much of the country has a relatively settled week before the holiday forecast window opens. In a normal October, western plateaus bring cold mornings and mild afternoons, with large day-night swings above 15°C; northern Xinjiang may see its first snow, while the Northeast cools quickly after the holiday.

For trips planned around the holiday, current-week city picks with comfortable readings include Shuozhou in Shanxi at 23.3°C and cloudy, Wulanchabu in Inner Mongolia at 22.8°C and cloudy, Dalian in Liaoning at 23.8°C and sunny, Qingdao in Shandong at 25.2°C and sunny, and Kunming in Yunnan at 24.9°C and cloudy. Pack light layers for daytime sightseeing, a warmer jacket for plateau, Inner Mongolia and northern mornings, and rain gear if routing through Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing or Qinghai. For the usual October holiday climate, Beijing and Xi'an are among the best-balanced northern choices, while Guangzhou and Xiamen are warmer but less sticky than in summer.

Compiled by Tempscape from the day’s forecast data; not an official forecast or warning. Check official sources before you travel.