Located 300 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico in north central Alabama, Birmingham lies in the Jones Valley between a ridge of hills running from northeast to southwest and the Red Mountain Range, which runs in roughly the same direction. A hilly city, Birmingham stretches for about 15 miles along the valley.

The hills northeast and north of the city are the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. During the winter, Birmingham experiences rather low minimum temperatures. Occasional very low temperatures prevent the growth of some vegetation that might usually be expected in a subtropical climate. Snow accumulation, however, is seldom heavy enough to cause problems. In summer, days are very warm; from April through October the daily highs are usually above 75° F, with lows seldom falling below 50° F. Most of the summer precipitation comes in the form of thunderstorms, especially in the month of July.

The main north-south watershed of Britain actually passes through Birmingham. The Birmingham area is prone to tornadoes the most recent of which was witnessed in mid-2005. The watershed of the River Severn and River Trent can clearly be seen along the Perry Barr area of Birmingham and areas near Erdington where the level and gradient of the land changes significantly. To the south west of the city lie the Clent Hills and Walton Hill, which reach 315 m and have good views over the city.