Two-year (2013 and 2014) field experiment was carried out to increase rainfall utilization efficiency and improve soil water availability for crops in arid area. A total of five treatments (CK: ridge-furrow planting without mulching over both ridge and furrow; M1: ridge-furrow planting with transparent film mulching over ridge only; M2: ridge-furrow planting with corn straw mulching over furrow only; M3: ridge-furrow planting with transparent film mulching over ridge and corn straw mulching over furrow; M4: ridge-furrow planting with black film mulching over ridge and corn straw mulching over furrow) were chosen to investigate the effects of different rainwater harvesting patterns on soil hydrothermal regimes, yield and water use efficiency of summer maize. The results showed that rainwater harvesting treatments could improve soil water storage, soil moisture content and compensation degree of soil water storage deficit significantly （ P <0.05). The treatments with mulching over both ridge and furrow (M3 and M4) were superior to the treatments with mulching either over ridge or over furrow (M1 and M2). And treatment M4 was better than treatment M3. Compared with transparent film mulching over ridge, black film mulching over ridge could reduce the temperature under film （ P <0.05 ). In contrast to no mulching over furrow, corn straw mulching over furrow could optimize the heat condition around roots. With improved soil water and temperature conditions, the treatment of ridge-furrow planting with black film mulching over ridge and corn straw mulching over furrow (M4) could increase yield and water use efficiency of summer maize to a great extent. Compared with CK, the average yield and water use efficiency of M4 in 2013 and 2014 were increased by 30.90% and 57.49%, respectively. In conclusion, treatment M4 was the appropriate rainwater harvesting pattern for summer maize cultivation in Guanzhong Region, Shaanxi Province. The results could provide valuable information for selecting efficient rainwater harvesting pattern in semi-arid regions of China.