Turpan is well-known for its high temperatures and is also called 'Huo Zhou' (a place as hot as fire). The city is located in Turpan Basin, the hottest as well as the lowest elevation in China; just 98 ft above sea level. The climate is dry, hot and windy with an average rainfall of only 0.9 inches per year. Because of its unique geographical position, the city enjoys very high temperature and very little precipitation. The summers here are long and usually begin in April and end in August. June, July and August are the hottest months with an average temperature above 38C (100.4F) and the recorded highest temperature is 49.6C (121.28F). The best time for visiting is between July and August when the fruit crops are ripe. The sweet grapes will make your mouth water. The Grape Festival is a spectacular event that is held in August every year that you would not want to miss.

Tips:
1. Although the temperature is high in the day time, you should take a long sleeved shirt as temperatures here vary greatly between day and night.
2. As the temperature is very high in the summer, it is necessary for you to take a hat, sunglasses and sun-bloc to avoid being burnt.
3. You should not wear contact lenses due to the hot dry weather.
4. Although the clock time in Xinjiang is the same as Beijing time, there is two hours difference because of the longitude. You should modify your rest and dinning times two hours later as compared with staying in the central part of China.