Potato late blight, the most important disease on potato, is the main critical factor affecting the production of potato. The occurrence characteristics and driving factors of the disease during 2008-2014 were analyzed. The occurrence of the disease fluctuated with the year, region and cultivar. In northern planting region, the disease was notably affected by the climate, while in southwestern and central China, the disease often occurred seriously in recent years. In 2012 and 2013, potato late blight occurred seriously in China with large area, rapid epidemic rate and severe damage. Among the four driving factors, climate, fungi, cultivar resistance and disease control, the climate was the most important factor affecting the disease to occur.