Mid-winter · Weather & things to do
Xi'an in January
This is the coldest month in Xi'an: highs average 43°F (6°C) and lows 26°F (-3°C), with about 0.4 in (9 mm) of rain or snow.
Our comfort score puts it mid-table at 55/100, 9th of 12.
- Avg high
- 43°F (6°C)
- Avg low
- 26°F (-3°C)
- Rain or snow
- 0.4 in (9 mm)
- Humidity
- 61%
- Cloud cover
- 60%
- Daylight
- ~9 h 57 min
- Comfort score
- 55/100 · Fair
What January feels like
Afternoons only reach about 43°F (6°C), so plan on a warm jacket.
Nights drop below freezing, with an average low of 26°F (-3°C), so expect frost and ice.
Precipitation is light, about 0.4 in (9 mm) of rain or snow, and since nights fall well below freezing, what does fall may well be snow.
Plan around January
January sits mid-table; the best months are March & April and October.
- Comfort slips from 60/100 in December to 55/100.
- Our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route recommends Apr – May, Sep – Oct, so January falls outside its suggested window.
What to pack for January
- Insulated jackethighs only 43°F
- Hat, gloves and thermal base layerslows around 26°F
- Shoes with gripfrost and ice are possible
- Comfortable walking shoesmost places below are best reached on foot or with short walks
What to do in Xi'an in January
A mixed month: these picks balance outdoor stops with indoor fallbacks.
Huaqing Palace
Hot spring palace grounds below Mount Li, near the Terracotta Army.
Xi'an City Wall
Fully intact Ming wall, 14 km around, best ridden by rented bike.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Tang dynasty pagoda built to hold scriptures brought back from India.
Muslim Quarter (Huimin Jie)
Hui food streets with lamb skewers, roujiamo and persimmon cakes.
Defuxiang Bar Street
Short lane of bars and live music spots inside the city wall.
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 January: quick answers
Is January a good time to visit Xi'an?
It's middling, scoring 55/100. The best months are March & April and October, at up to 88. Expect highs of 43°F (6°C) and 0.4 in (9 mm) of rain or snow. Our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route recommends Apr – May, Sep – Oct, so January is outside its suggested window.
How cold is Xi'an in January?
Average highs are 43°F (6°C) and average lows 26°F (-3°C), making it the coldest month by daytime highs, with nights below freezing on average.
Does it snow a lot in Xi'an in January?
Not much: about 0.4 in (9 mm) of rain or snow falls across January on average, the 2nd-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 January?
Bring insulated jacket (highs only 43°F), hat, gloves and thermal base layers (lows around 26°F), shoes with grip (frost and ice are possible) and comfortable walking shoes (most places below are best reached on foot or with short walks).
Planning Xi'an in January?
Bring the crew into one shared trip: vote on dates, build the day-by-day plan, split costs and share one packing list.