The average altitude of Lhasa is 3,600 meters. The altitude of Chengdu which is of the same latitude as Lhasa is only about 600 meters. The elevation difference is of nearly 3,000 meters and a temperature difference of about 13 °C. The average temperature in Lhasa in September is between 9 ° C and 22 ° C. It overall feels comfortable during the day and it gets cold in the early morning and late evening. September is the most beautiful season in Tibet in a year, not too cold or too hot. In the first half of September, when the rainy season turns into a dry season, the rain will decrease and the sunny days will increase. Even when the weather forecast reports rain, it will be basically just showers or rain at night.
Date | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather | Cloudy | Rainy | Cloudy | Cloudy | Cloudy | Cloudy | Cloudy |
Max(℃) | 22℃ | 22℃ | 23℃ | 25℃ | 25℃ | 25℃ | 24℃ |
Min(℃) | 11℃ | 11℃ | 13℃ | 12℃ | 12℃ | 12℃ | 12℃ |
Date | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
Weather | Cloudy | Cloudy | Cloudy | Rainy | Cloudy | Rainy | Cloudy |
Max(℃) | 24℃ | 25℃ | 23℃ | 23℃ | 21℃ | 21℃ | 20℃ |
Min(℃) | 12℃ | 12℃ | 12℃ | 10℃ | 10℃ | 10℃ | 9℃ |
Date | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
Weather | Rainy | Sunny | Sunny | Cloudy | Cloudy | Sunny | Cloudy |
Max(℃) | 22℃ | 21℃ | 24℃ | 23℃ | 23℃ | 23℃ | 21℃ |
Min(℃) | 10℃ | 9℃ | 9℃ | 8℃ | 8℃ | 10℃ | 9℃ |
Date | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
Weather | Rainy | Rainy | Sunny | Cloudy | Cloudy | Rainy | Cloudy |
Max(℃) | 21℃ | 21℃ | 24℃ | 24℃ | 24℃ | 21℃ | 21℃ |
Min(℃) | 6℃ | 9℃ | 10℃ | 11℃ | 10℃ | 10℃ | 9℃ |
Date | 29 | 30 | |||||
Weather | Rainy | Cloudy | |||||
Max(℃) | 22℃ | 20℃ | |||||
Min(℃) | 7℃ | 8℃ |
When you are in Lhasa in September, the outdoor feels even warmer than indoor because of the sunshine. It may feel a bit chilly indoors or in the shade. A thin jacket is a good choice during the day. A warmer jacket will be needed if you stay longer indoors or in the shade. Although there is not much rain during September, a heavier jacket may be needed when it rains.
Daytime average temperature: 23°C, light cotton or linen clothes such as sports T-shirts, sweat pants, jeans, long dress, etc. are recommended.
Nighttime average temperature: 10°C, light warm clothes such as light jackets, thin sweaters, light wind breakers, etc. are recommended.
September is a good month to go to Tibet. It is warm and it rarely rains at this time. The blue sky and white clouds are up high every day. The oxygen concentration is sufficient and the altitude-sickness happens less to visitors. A Tibet tour in September is full of beautiful sky reflection in clear lake water, refreshing scented fields and forests, tastes of harvest and splendid colors. If you are going to Tibet in autumn, a most clear and purest Tibet will present charmingly in front of you with all the amazing colors.
In September, besides the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka, you can also go to visit some other local temples, such as Zaki Temple which is the only temple for Gods of Wealth in Lhasa. It is said that the god of Zaki Temple likes alcohol, so follower come to Zaki Temple to worship not only with Hada and Mulberry twigs, but also a bottle of wine or barley wine. These can be prepared in advance. But if you do not have time to prepare, you can also buy it from the stalls outside of the temple.
The rainy season ends in September and Tibet begins to enter the dry season. The rainfall decreases and the air becomes dry and clear. The unique plateau autumn in Tibet is even more fascinating. The heat goes away with the sunshine getting less stronger. However, it is still necessary to have sun protection as long as you are at outdoors.
Try to have more carbohydrates and digestible foods after entering Tibet. Please drink plenty of water to keep hydrated. It is advisable to not eat too much at dinner. It is best not to drink and smoke. Foods rich in vitamins such as fruits and vegetable are highly recommended.
After entering Tibet, you should eat more carbohydrates, digestible foods and drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Please do not eat too much at night nor alcohol drinking and smoking. Foods which are rich in vitamins such as fruits and vegetables are recommended. Please try not to do too much and try to eat and rest regularly. During the first few days when you just arrived in Tibet, Please don't take frequent shower to prevent yourself from catching colds. Colds are often the main cause of acute high altitude pulmonary edema (which is not easy to heal under hypoxic conditions).
Generally, June-October is the best time to travel to Lhasa, Tibet. Lhasa is known as the "Sunlight City" with long sunshine hours. At this time, it is of a mild climate. Lhasa is actually neither too hot in summer nor too cold in winter. the highest temperature is in June, and the lowest is in
January. There is less rainfall in Lhasa. And the dry and wet season is obvious. The rain is mainly concentrated in July, August and September, and it is mostly at night. Lhasa is warm and humid in summer, which makes it the best travel season for Tibet. This time is also the most pleasant time of Lhasa's natural scenery in a year. The whole city is in a green lush, which is in stark contrast with the winter bleak. It is said that the oxygen concentration in summer can almost double that of winter.
Lhasa is regarded as the first stop for most people to enter Tibet. The human landscape is mostly available for all seasons. The temperature difference between day and night is large. If the main purpose of your trip is to experience the local culture, October-March is recommended to avoid the peak season of Tibet tourism and to save expenses. You also do no need to worry about the limited Potala Palace tickets and air/train tickets. Less tourists make it easier for you to see an authentic Tibet.