Xian is situated in the southern part of the Guan Zhong Plain in Shaanxi province, with the Qinling Mountains to the south and the Weihe River to the north. It is in a warm temperate zone, and has a continental monsoon climate with four distinct seasons; Xian is hot and wet in summer, dry and seldom snowy in winter and is prone to extended spells of rain in spring and autumn.

The temperature during spring, (March to May) increases rapidly, but is prone to fluctuation. The average temperature in March is 7.9C, rising to 14.1C in April and 19.4C in May. A quarter of the area's annual rainfall occurs in spring, however with the pleasant temperature, gentle breezes and warm sunshine it is a good time of year for outdoor activities and traveling.

Summer in Xian (June to August) becomes both hot and humid. Xian is one of the major 'stove' cities of the whole country with the hottest month of the year being July, with the highest average temperature being 32C and the maximum temperature often above 40C. The oppressive heat can be difficult to bear, but this is tempered by the fact that it is also the rainy season. This time of year has 8 to 11 rainy days monthly - half of Xian's annual rainfall occurs during the summer.

Xian also experiences a fair amount of precipitation during autumn, (September to November). The early autumn period is cool and can be overcast, late autumn is usually fine. Winter (December to February) is dry and cold with a little snow. The coldest month is January, with an average temperature of 0C. All in all, spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best seasons during the year for traveling here.

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