The climate in Iraq

Climate zone: Subtropics of the northern hemisphere

Several months of the year it is warm to hot at temperatures continuously above 25 degrees centigrade, sometimes up to 47 degrees. Due to the warmer temperatures the best time for traveling is from June to September. Nearly unattractive for tourists are the cold months from November to March.

› Duration of daylight and sunshine in Iraq

Temperature records of the last 72 years

The hottest temperature measured from 1949 to June 2021 was reported by the Basrah Airp weather station. In July 2016 the record temperature of 53.8 °C was reported here. The hottest summer from July to September, based on all 14 weather stations in Iraq , was recorded in 2017 with an average temperature of 38.4 °C. This average temperature will normally be measured every 4 to 6 hours, thus also including the nights. Normally, this value is 34.1 degrees Celsius. The average maximum daily temperature at that time was 47.5 °C.

The coldest day in these 72 years was reported by the weather station Samawa. Here the temperature dropped to -13.8 °C in January 2020. Samawa lies at an altitude of 6 meters above sea level. The coldest winter (January to March) was in 1949 with an average temperature of 9.7 °C. In Iraq, it is usual to have about 3.9 degrees more at 13.6 °C for this three-month period.

The most precipitation fell in März 2020. With 7.3 mm per day, the Mosul weather station recorded the highest monthly average of the last 72 years. Incidentally, the region with the most rainfall for the whole year is around Mosul. The driest region is near Nasiriya.


Data basis: German Weather Service, individual values averaged and supplemented by own elements.