Climate

Tehran is situated in north-central Iran. It is a city on the foothills of a high, east-west mountain range called Alborz. On a clear day, its two highest mountains, Damavand and Tochal (18,000ft/5,500m and 13,000ft/4000m respectively) are visible from the center of the city. On the north side of this mountain range are the lush coastal regions of the Caspian Sea. To the south and east is an arid desert. This geographical juxtaposition decides Tehran’s semi-arid climate, which is also Mediterranean in its rainfall patterns. Spring and autumn can be very pleasant, while summers are hot (sometimes very hot) and winters can be cold and snowy—there are several good ski resorts less than an hour’s drive from the city.