Early winter · Weather & things to do
Xi'an in December
Xi'an sees its driest month, with just 0.2 in (6 mm) of rain or snow, highs of 45°F (7°C) and lows of 28°F (-2°C).
Our comfort score puts it mid-table at 60/100, 8th of 12.
- Avg high
- 45°F (7°C)
- Avg low
- 28°F (-2°C)
- Rain or snow
- 0.2 in (6 mm)
- Humidity
- 61%
- Cloud cover
- 54%
- Daylight
- ~9 h 43 min
- Comfort score
- 60/100 · Good
What December feels like
It's cool, with highs near 45°F (7°C), so a proper jacket stays on most of the day.
Average lows of 28°F (-2°C) mean frosty nights and icy mornings.
Precipitation is light, about 0.2 in (6 mm) of rain or snow, and since nights fall well below freezing, what does fall may well be snow.
Plan around December
December sits mid-table; the best months are March & April and October.
- Freezing nights return: average lows drop to 28°F.
- Snow becomes likely from December, so check road and trail conditions.
- Shortest days of the year, about 9 h 43 min of daylight.
- The year's biggest cool-down: highs drop 7°C (13°F) from November.
- Our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route recommends Apr – May, Sep – Oct, so December falls outside its suggested window.
What to pack for December
- Insulated jackethighs only 45°F
- Hat, gloves and thermal base layerslows around 28°F
- Shoes with gripfrost and ice are possible
- Comfortable walking shoesmost picks involve some walking
What to do in Xi'an in December
With conditions on your side, the picks below favor time outside.
Shaanxi History Museum
Top-tier collection from Zhou to Tang dynasties, including Tang murals.
Terracotta Army
Thousands of life-size clay soldiers guarding the tomb of China's first emperor.
Defuxiang Bar Street
Short lane of bars and live music spots inside the city wall.
Why now December scores 60/100 for comfort, good conditions for being outside.
Muslim Quarter (Huimin Jie)
Hui food streets with lamb skewers, roujiamo and persimmon cakes.
Lao Sun Jia
Restaurant dating back over a century, known for yangrou paomo lamb soup with bread.
NASA POWER 2001–2025 monthly averages on a ~50 km grid, temperatures adjusted from the grid cell's ~593 m to Xi'an's ~385 m elevation (standard lapse rate). Comfort scores weigh temperature, rain, humidity and cloud: see how we score each month. Check a forecast before you go.
Xi'an in December: quick answers
Is December a good time to visit Xi'an?
It's middling, scoring 60/100. The best months are March & April and October, at up to 88. Expect highs of 45°F (7°C) and 0.2 in (6 mm) of rain or snow. Our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route recommends Apr – May, Sep – Oct, so December is outside its suggested window.
How cold is Xi'an in December?
Average highs are 45°F (7°C) and average lows 28°F (-2°C), making it the 2nd-coldest month by daytime highs, with nights below freezing on average.
Does it snow a lot in Xi'an in December?
Not much: about 0.2 in (6 mm) of rain or snow falls across December on average, the driest month of the year. With temperatures this low, much of it may fall as snow. The annual total is about 27.3 in (694 mm).
What should I pack for Xi'an in December?
Bring insulated jacket (highs only 45°F), hat, gloves and thermal base layers (lows around 28°F), shoes with grip (frost and ice are possible) and comfortable walking shoes (most picks involve some walking).
Planning Xi'an in December?
Plan it together in TripsCircle: one itinerary, one shared packing list and costs split as you go.