White Dew will arrive at 22:41 Beijing time on September 7. As the 15th of the 24 solar terms, White Dew marks the end of early autumn and the beginning of the middle month of autumn, serving as a key transition from summer heat to autumn coolness. As nighttime temperatures drop, water vapor in the air condenses into crystalline dewdrops on the ground and plants.

The ancient Chinese matched the four seasons with the five elements. Autumn corresponds to Metal, whose associated color is white, hence the name White Dew. After White Dew begins, the temperature difference between day and night widens. In much of northern China, summer heat fades and autumn increasingly takes hold; in parts of the south, residual heat remains, but dewdrops can still be seen on plants in the early morning.