Weather In Tibet-It Is Not As Harsh As You Imagine.

Tibet is not as cold as most people imagine. Even in winter, its unpleasantly cold only during the night. Rather than the cold, the most characteristic feature of central Tibetan weather is dryness, There is very little rain except during a couple of months in the summer. Snow settles only above 5,000 m(16,500 Ft).Snow in Lhasa usually does not last more than a few hours. If the snow is thick unexpectedly then it would last longer than days. There is generally very little precipitation and a great deal of direct,strong sunlight. Whether you travel to Tibet in winter or summer, you will definitely notice a significant drop in the temperature very shortly after the sun has set. The days, on the other hand can be quite hot.The weather patterns are seasonal and regular. The spring comes late with blossoms not appearing until mid-to late April. But by March the cold edge of winter has already gone and as it gets closer to Summer, the weather gets progressively hotter and the atmosphere dustier. When combined with winds,which can be strong,very unpleasant dust storms can occur. The rains come in July and August and can occasionally cause flooding and mudslides. The autumn is clear and it gradually get colder until December,when the first chill of winter can be felt. Although winter is cold and rather bleak, it is also extremely clear and bright. During winter,travel is made more difficult because passes are blocked by snow. June one of the best months to travel and hike in Tibet. On the other hand, there are far fewer tourist present and if you go to Lhasa during the period of the Tibetan New Year( Losar) you can witness the great influx of Tibetan pilgrims there. Western Tibet is much drier and eastern Tibet is more similar to the wetter Chinese weather patterns.