October 2026: Warmth in the South, Sharp Drops at Month’s End

Compiled from 31 days of daily readings for 433 cities in October 2026; written once at the start of the following month.

October 2026 recorded a national mean high of 22.3°C across 433 cities over 31 days, with a marked contrast between the warmest and coolest provincial averages. Hainan had the highest mean high at 31.5°C, followed by Guangxi at 31.3°C and Guangdong at 31°C. All three stood above the national figure, while the coolest provincial averages remained well below it. Heilongjiang had the lowest mean high at 10.4°C, followed by Qinghai at 13.5°C and Inner Mongolia at 14°C. The provincial figures placed southern warmth alongside much lower average daytime temperatures in the coolest parts of the country.

The highest city temperature was 36.4°C in Lishui, Zhejiang, on 18 Oct. That exceeded the 36.2°C recorded in Chongzuo, Guangxi, on 1 Oct and the 36.1°C in Chengmai, Hainan, on the same date. The leading city-day high therefore came later in the month than the next two highest readings. Across the month, 18 city-days reached 35°C or above, spread across 13 cities. Chengmai accumulated the most such days, with three. Xishuangbanna in Yunnan and Chongzuo each recorded two, putting them behind Chengmai for the number of days at or above that threshold rather than for the highest single temperature.

Hainan also supplied the three wettest cities, with substantial monthly totals accompanied by repeated days of rain. Wanning recorded 601.1 mm over 20 rain days, the largest total and the most rain days among the wettest cities. Qionghai followed with 575.6 mm over 19 rain days, while Lingshui received 430.4 mm over 17 rain days. The driest cities presented a different picture, with very small monthly accumulations. Alaer in Xinjiang received 0.1 mm, followed by Kashgar, also in Xinjiang, with 0.5 mm. Jinchang in Gansu recorded 2.5 mm, placing it third among the driest cities for the month.

The sharpest single-day temperature drop occurred in Huludao, Liaoning, on 31 Oct, when the reading fell from 19.8°C to 3.7°C, a decline of 16.1°C. Anshan, also in Liaoning, recorded the next largest fall on the same date, dropping from 17.8°C to 4.7°C, a change of 13.1°C. Wuwei in Gansu had the third sharpest drop on 24 Oct, from 21.8°C to 8.8°C, a decline of 13°C. The two largest falls thus shared both a province and a date, while Wuwei’s decline came earlier and ended at a higher temperature.

October’s overall picture combined high provincial averages in the south, a limited spread of 35°C-plus days, and sharply contrasting rainfall totals. The largest single-day drops added a pronounced late-month change to that temperature review.

← September 2026