Hefei
Hefei is the capital of Anhui province, China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural center of Anhui. Its population was 9,369,881 as of the 2020 census. A natural hub of communications, Hefei is situated to the north of Chao Lake. Hefei is the location of Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak, an experimental superconducting tokamak magnetic fusion energy reactor. Hefei is a leading world city for scientific research, ranking at 12th globally … as tracked by the Nature Index in 2025. The city is represented by several major universities, including the University of Science and Technology of China.
Typical weather
1981–presentCity Rhythm
measuredOpening hours, by kind of place
median across mapped venuesVital absurdities
measured · the Anti-AwardsWhat to do each season
4winter
damp and cold; openmeteo mean 2.2-4.6 °C (Wikipedia January average 2.8 °C, lows just below freezing); irregular snowfalls; occasional Siberian cold spells; extremes to −20.6 °C; relatively dry (Dec-Feb 0.9-1.8 mm/day)
- the damp cold winter — the indoor research/campus life carries the season; the lowest tourist density
spring
pleasant but erratic; openmeteo mean 9.8-21.8 °C; the comfortable window, but 'air quality typically diminishes in May and June' from farmers burning fields
- the May-June field-burning smog — a distinctive seasonal pollution episode that blankets the city
summer
hot and humid; openmeteo mean 25.7-28.3 °C (Jul 28.3; daily temperatures 'can reach or surpass 37 °C'; extreme 41.1 °C); the wet months (Jul wettest 6.5 mm/day)
- the oppressive summer — life shifts into air-conditioning; the wettest period (Jul-Aug)
autumn
gradual cooling and drying; openmeteo mean 10.6-23.4 °C; drier; the comfortable clear window
- the best outdoor window — Chao Lake and the parks at their most usable before winter
What it is known for
On the record
source-trackedHefei features a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) with four distinct seasons. Hefei's annual average temperature is 16.6 °C.
Winters are damp and cold, with January lows dipping just below freezing and January averaging 2.8 °C. The city sees irregular snowfalls that rarely turn significant.
Summers are hot and humid, with a July average of 28.6 °C. In the months of June, July, August, and often September, daily temperatures can reach or surpass 37 °C with high humidity levels being the norm.
Air quality typically diminishes in May and June when the city is blanketed by smog caused by the smoke generated as farmers outside the city burn their fields in preparation for planting the next crop.
Hefei is the location of Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak, an experimental superconducting tokamak magnetic fusion energy reactor.
Hefei is a leading world city for scientific research, ranking at 12th globally … as tracked by the Nature Index in 2025.
BOE Technology subsequently grew to be one of the world's leading manufacturers of semiconductor products for telecommunications. It is also the world's largest manufacturer of liquid crystal displays, organic light-emitting diodes, and flexible displays.
NIO moved its headquarters to Hefei. As of 2022, NIO is China's most successful electric vehicle manufacturer.
Chao Lake, a lake 15 km southeast of the city, is one of the largest fresh water lakes in China.
The local government spent US$3.5 billion for a controlling ownership stake in BOE Technology [in 2008] … and invested heavily in iFlytek and NIO.
The method behind this atlas — 196 pp. Not published yet.