Iraq climate

World Climates covers 39 places in Iraq. By annual mean temperature, the warmest is Abu al-Kahsib (27 °C80 °F) and the coolest is Sulaymaniyah (18 °C65 °F). The wettest is Dihok with 383 mm15 in of precipitation per year, the driest Umm Qaşr with 84 mm3.3 in.

The most common climate types (Köppen classification computed from these averages) are hot desert (BWh, 25 places) and hot semi-arid (BSh, 14 places).

The highest monthly average high is in Abu al-Kahsib (47 °C117 °F in July); the lowest monthly average low is in Sulaymaniyah (0 °C32 °F in January).

Across the places in Iraq, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are March, April and November (33, 21 and 35 of 39 places respectively).

Temperature and rainfall across Iraq

Annual mean temperatures in Iraq range from 18 °C65 °F to 27 °C80 °F. The typical place (the median of all 39) has a year average of 24 °C75 °F. Annual precipitation ranges from 84 mm3.3 in to 383 mm15 in. The median place receives about 198 mm7.8 in in an average year.

In 2 places of 39, the coldest month has an average low below 0 °C (32 °F). In 39 places, the warmest month has an average high above 30 °C (86 °F). 25 places get less than 250 mm (10 in) of precipitation a year, which is very dry. None gets more than 2,000 mm (79 in) a year.

Averaged over all 39 places, July is the warmest month, with a mean of 37 °C98 °F. January is the coldest, with 9 °C48 °F. The wettest month on average is January (34 mm1.3 in). The driest is August (1 mm0.0 in). Single places can differ a lot from this average, so check the page of each city.

The table below lists the places sorted by population. The largest ones covered here are Baghdad, Mosul and Erbil. Each city page has a chart and a table for every month. It also shows the best time to visit and what to pack. The figures are 25-year averages for 2001–2025 from NASA POWER. They describe grid cells of roughly 50–70 km, not single weather stations.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the warmest place in Iraq?

By annual mean temperature, the warmest place in Iraq is Abu al-Kahsib at 27 °C80 °F. The coolest is Sulaymaniyah at 18 °C65 °F.

Where does it rain the most in Iraq?

Dihok gets the most precipitation, 383 mm15 in in an average year. The driest place is Umm Qaşr with 84 mm3.3 in.

How many places in Iraq does this site cover?

World Climates has climate data for 39 places in Iraq. Each one has a page with monthly averages for temperature, rainfall, humidity and daylight.

When is the best time to visit Iraq?

It depends on the place. Across Iraq, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are March, April and November. Check the page of each city for its own best months.