Summer (June to September) is the best time to visit Xining. The days are warm (daytime highs around 20–25°C), the countryside is green, and excursions to Qinghai Lake and the grasslands are at their most rewarding. The Kumbum Monastery Butter Sculpture Festival takes place during the Lantern Festival — the fifteenth day of the first lunar month (January or February) — and is spectacular but cold; temperatures can drop below -15°C at night.
Spring and autumn are acceptable but cool, with cold nights and occasional snow. Winter is long, cold (average January lows around -10°C), and quiet — most domestic tourists have departed and the city returns to its normal pace. The altitude (2,270 metres) means summer nights are always cool; bring a jacket regardless of the season.