text: As I am sure you can appreicate, Northern China is a pretty big area, so if you don't mind I've centred on the city of Harbin (neat the border with Mongolia). Well, the first thing is "swings and roundabouts" and perhaps a place that should bid for a future Summer and Winter Olympics in the same year. In January, the average temperature is -26°C (in other words, frigid) and in July it can get as hot at 29°C leading to an annual range of 55°C and as for rainfall, well, it gets a good soaking in the summer but in the winter it's as dry as a desert.