Herat has a continental semi-arid climate with extreme seasonal variation. Winters can be bitterly cold with snow; summers are very hot and dry, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C.
Spring (March–May) is the best time to visit in terms of climate: warm days, green countryside, and the surrounding gardens in flower. April is particularly pleasant.
Autumn (September–October) is the second-best season, with cooling temperatures after the summer heat and before the winter cold arrives.
The city's famous buzkashi (the equestrian sport in which riders compete to carry a goat carcass) is played in the cold months, typically from autumn through spring.
Note: given the current security situation, the best time to visit is when conditions are safe to do so — which as of 2026 is not the case for most foreign travellers.