Situated in the river valley along the lower part of Xiang River, Changsha is the capital city of Hunan Province. The recorded history of Changsha can be traced back 3000 years. Tomb relics from the primitive periods witnessing the earliest human of activities have been discovered in this regThe scorching summer and cold winter are two distinctive seasons in this area. The summer comes around the later May with high heat and heavy humidity. The sweltering days of July and August are particularly stifling. Changsha's winter comes around November bringing little sunlight and heavy fogs. Although it is reported that the average temperature in winter is about five degrees, the winter days in Changsha can be severely cold as those in the northern China cities due to the great humidity carried by the river winds from Xiangjiang River. Llike Wuhan, the city has no heaters and we suggest travelers bring cotton and packed clothes, gloves and scarves and a hat for the windy days. Most of the rest days in a year are misty and cloudy.

Spring, during the months from March through May, is the best time to travel to the city. Likewise, September is a good time to visit, during the short but pleasant autumn period when the red maples on Long Island (Juzizhou) are in full blossom and the temperatures in this period are around 15C (59F) to 20C (68F).

One thing a traveler should bear in mind is that the weather changes greatly during the transit period between spring and summer or summer and autumn. An unexpected summer rainstorm could arrive suddenly on a sunny day, so make sure to bring an umbrella with you. The long rain period starts in October and continues for one or two months, therefore one should plan indoor tourist activities during the latter part of a year.

Detailed information about the Average, Maximun and Minimum Temperatures and the rainfall in Changsha.

Average Data	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June
Average High (F)	45/49	47/51	57/60	69/72	78/81	84/88
Average High (C)	7/9	9/11	14/16	20/22	25/27	29/31
Average Low (F)	33/37	36/40	44/48	55/58	64/67	71/74
Average Low (C)	1/3	2/4	7/9	13/15	18/20	22/24
Rain (in)	2.2/2.3	3.7/3.8	5.3/5.4	7.0/7.1	8.4/8.5	8.0/8.1
Rain (mm)	55/60	90/95	135/140	180/185	210/215	205/210

Average Data	July	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average High (F)	92/95	91/95	82/86	72/76	61/65	50/54
Average High (C)	33/35	33/35	28/30	22/24	16/18	10/12
Average Low (F)	76/80	76/79	68/71	57/61	47/50	37/41
Average Low (C)	25/27	24/26	20/22	14/16	8/10	3/5
Rain (in)	4.2/4.3	4.1/4.2	2.5/2.6	3.1/3.2	2.7/2.8	1.7/1.8
Rain (mm)	105/110	105/110	60/65	80/85	70/75	45/50