Weather and Climate in Baghdad
This page brings together the live picture for Baghdad right now — temperature, feels-like, wind and air quality — with an hour-by-hour outlook for the day and a full seven-day forecast. Below the dashboard you will find a detailed, locally grounded guide to how the seasons actually behave in the city, from the relentless July heat to the welcome winter rains.
Baghdad has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh). The defining feature is the sheer length of the warm season: the city routinely records five months where daytime highs sit above 40 °C, paired with near-total summer drought. Average annual rainfall is only around 140 millimetres, and virtually all of it falls between November and April.
The Tigris moderates conditions only slightly. Far more important are the seasonal winds — above all the northwesterly shamal, which sweeps dry air and fine dust down the river valley and shapes the look and feel of a Baghdad summer day. Temperatures swing widely between afternoon and dawn, and between July and January the typical daytime high falls from around 44 °C to roughly 16 °C.
Summer
Summer is the season that defines Baghdad. From late May the heat builds quickly, and through June, July and August daytime highs of 43–46 °C are ordinary, with the hottest spells pushing close to 50 °C. Rain effectively stops. Nights offer only partial relief, often staying above 27 °C. Humidity is generally low, so the heat is dry rather than sticky — but the dry shamal also lifts dust, and hazy, ochre-tinted skies are a familiar summer sight. Locals adapt by shifting life to the early morning and the cool of the evening.
Winter
Winter is short, mild and genuinely pleasant. From December to February daytime highs settle comfortably into the mid-teens, while clear nights can fall close to freezing on the open ground around the city. This is when Baghdad receives almost all of its rain, arriving in scattered systems that can occasionally be heavy enough to flood low-lying streets. Hard frost in the city itself is rare, and snow is essentially unheard of.
Spring & Autumn
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, and the best time to experience the city. March through May brings warm, agreeable days before the summer furnace takes hold — though spring is also the peak season for dust storms, when warm winds scour the dry interior and visibility can drop sharply for hours. Autumn, through October and into November, is the mirror image: the heat fades, the dust settles, and a run of clear, temperate days follows.
Rain Probability
Rainfall in Baghdad is both scarce and strongly seasonal. The wet months run November through April; outside that window, and especially across the long summer, measurable rain is genuinely rare. The hourly and seven-day panels above show the live probability of rain so you can judge whether a winter front is approaching.
When rain does arrive it tends to come in short, sometimes intense bursts rather than steady all-day drizzle. Because the ground bakes hard through the dry months, even a modest downpour can pond quickly on streets and underpasses, so the cool-season precipitation figures above are worth a glance before you head out.
Wind and Humidity
Wind is central to Baghdad’s weather. The northwesterly shamal dominates from spring through summer, and it is the main engine of the city’s dust: the haziest, most reduced-visibility days cluster from May into July. The live wind speed, gusts and direction in the dashboard above update through the day, which is especially useful when a dust event is building.
Humidity in Baghdad is usually low, keeping the summer heat dry rather than muggy, and rising mainly during and just after the winter rains. Even so, the feels-like temperature can diverge from the air temperature — pushed up by strong sun and dust in summer, and down by wind chill on raw winter nights — which is why the dashboard tracks feels-like, dew point and gusts alongside the headline reading.
Planning around the weather
Planning around Baghdad’s weather is largely about managing heat and dust. Through the long summer, lightweight breathable clothing, sun protection and constant hydration are essential, and outdoor activity is best timed for early morning or after sunset. Keep an eye on the wind and air-quality readings when the shamal is blowing, as dust can affect anyone with respiratory sensitivity.
The winter months call for a warm layer for cool evenings and an awareness of the occasional heavy downpour, but they remain mild by most standards. If you have the choice, spring and autumn are the ideal windows to visit the capital. Whatever the season, the live conditions and seven-day forecast on this page refresh automatically, giving you an up-to-date view of Baghdad before you plan your day.