Sulaymaniyah climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Sulaymaniyah?

Sulaymaniyah has a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 16.4 °C and it receives 740 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Sulaymaniyah?

The hottest day measured in Sulaymaniyah between 1940 and 2025 was 16 July 2000, reaching 44.4 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Sulaymaniyah?

The coldest day measured in Sulaymaniyah between 1940 and 2025 was 6 January 1942, at -22.7 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Sulaymaniyah?

Yes. Sulaymaniyah gets on average 45.5 cm of snow per year and has around 55 frost days.

Q: Has the climate of Sulaymaniyah warmed?

Yes: Sulaymaniyah warmed by +3.0 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Sulaymaniyah?

The wettest day measured in Sulaymaniyah between 1940 and 2025 was 17 March 1974, with 86 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Sulaymaniyah?

The windiest day measured in Sulaymaniyah between 1940 and 2025 was 27 March 1962, with winds reaching 31.6 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Sulaymaniyah?

The warmest month in Sulaymaniyah is July (30.2 °C on average); the coldest is January (3.0 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Sulaymaniyah?

Sulaymaniyah receives on average 740 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 76 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Sulaymaniyah?

Sulaymaniyah gets on average 10.7 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,905 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Sulaymaniyah (Iraq) has a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Csa) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 16.4 °C and it receives 740 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is July (30.2 °C on average) and the coldest is January (3.0 °C). Rainfall peaks in March.

Sulaymaniyah averages 55 frost days, 129 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 76 rainy days per year.

Sulaymaniyah has warmed by +3.0 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.35 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The number of frost days there went from about 73 to 37 per year over the period.

The hottest day of the period reached 44.4 °C (on 16 July 2000) and the coldest -22.7 °C (on 6 January 1942).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

SulaymaniyahSulaymaniyah Governorate

coords: 35.56°, 45.43°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

CsaHot-summer MediterraneanWarmest monthJulyColdest monthJanuaryWettest monthMarchDriest monthJuly

Mean daily temperature

16.4°C

Average daily high

23.2°C

Average daily low

9.4°C

Annual rainfall

740mm

Sunshine / day

10.7h

Mean relative humidity

51%

Average peak wind

10.9km/h

Seasonal range

27.2°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

55 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

129 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

76 d/yr

Annual snowfall

45.5 cm

Average feels-like high

21.8 °C

Average feels-like low

7.0 °C

Average peak gust

31.3 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

45 d/yr

Solar radiation

19.1 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+3.0 °C

since 1940

+0.4 °C per decade · r² = 0.51 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

44.4 °C

16 July 2000

Coldest day

-22.7 °C

6 January 1942

Wettest day

86 mm

17 March 1974

Windiest day

31.6 km/h

27 March 1962

Strongest gust

103.7 km/h

24 November 1992

Hottest feels-like

45.5 °C

18 July 1978

Coldest feels-like

-27.5 °C

6 January 1942

Snowiest day

30.5 cm

4 February 1950

Sunniest day

14.0 h

22 May 1940

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days	Frost days
2025	44.0 °C24 July 2025	-9.9 °C31 December 2025	18.4 °C	558 mm	143	41
2024	41.4 °C23 July 2024	-4.4 °C16 December 2024	18.1 °C	841 mm	138	21
2023	42.0 °C11 August 2023	-9.6 °C10 February 2023	18.1 °C	823 mm	125	32
2022	43.0 °C13 August 2022	-16.0 °C22 January 2022	18.1 °C	548 mm	143	39
2021	44.0 °C26 July 2021	-6.3 °C22 January 2021	19.1 °C	340 mm	162	34
2020	43.0 °C28 July 2020	-6.2 °C11 February 2020	17.9 °C	777 mm	146	31
2019	42.3 °C21 July 2019	-5.9 °C19 January 2019	17.5 °C	969 mm	149	21
2018	43.9 °C11 July 2018	-4.2 °C31 January 2018	18.5 °C	1,007 mm	138	19
2017	42.8 °C9 August 2017	-12.4 °C19 February 2017	18.1 °C	494 mm	134	56
2016	43.0 °C21 July 2016	-6.3 °C28 January 2016	18.2 °C	711 mm	135	36
2015	43.5 °C2 July 2015	-10.8 °C12 January 2015	18.2 °C	811 mm	143	42
2014	42.6 °C17 July 2014	-6.6 °C5 February 2014	18.0 °C	689 mm	131	24
2013	42.1 °C16 July 2013	-7.6 °C14 January 2013	17.5 °C	651 mm	126	38
2012	41.9 °C20 July 2012	-7.9 °C21 January 2012	17.7 °C	638 mm	140	57
2011	44.0 °C27 July 2011	-6.5 °C24 January 2011	16.6 °C	734 mm	127	65
2010	42.5 °C12 July 2010	-6.5 °C6 February 2010	18.7 °C	605 mm	145	21
2009	41.2 °C19 August 2009	-8.0 °C3 January 2009	17.2 °C	702 mm	129	36
2008	44.2 °C2 August 2008	-10.6 °C18 January 2008	17.6 °C	366 mm	139	58
2007	42.0 °C10 August 2007	-9.6 °C2 January 2007	17.4 °C	560 mm	150	50
2006	41.8 °C10 August 2006	-9.6 °C29 December 2006	17.3 °C	1,009 mm	133	57
2005	42.1 °C27 July 2005	-14.0 °C11 February 2005	17.4 °C	631 mm	130	40
2004	40.7 °C18 July 2004	-8.3 °C24 February 2004	17.0 °C	857 mm	133	43
2003	43.8 °C11 August 2003	-5.2 °C1 March 2003	17.1 °C	776 mm	137	43
2002	41.2 °C20 July 2002	-14.6 °C25 January 2002	17.0 °C	873 mm	137	53
2001	43.6 °C25 July 2001	-15.7 °C28 January 2001	18.1 °C	564 mm	143	27
2000	44.4 °C16 July 2000	-11.7 °C18 January 2000	17.6 °C	524 mm	132	53
1999	43.7 °C3 August 1999	-3.2 °C4 January 1999	18.3 °C	419 mm	147	43
1998	43.6 °C29 August 1998	-14.3 °C17 February 1998	17.8 °C	648 mm	141	49
1997	41.1 °C22 July 1997	-19.0 °C7 February 1997	16.0 °C	754 mm	128	51
1996	42.6 °C21 July 1996	-10.5 °C22 January 1996	17.6 °C	717 mm	133	22
1995	42.2 °C21 July 1995	-7.3 °C21 December 1995	16.7 °C	565 mm	120	57
1994	40.9 °C18 August 1994	-14.1 °C7 December 1994	17.3 °C	1,024 mm	132	36
1993	41.2 °C16 July 1993	-10.7 °C17 January 1993	16.0 °C	1,028 mm	117	49
1992	39.6 °C29 July 1992	-18.5 °C4 January 1992	14.7 °C	955 mm	109	72
1991	42.2 °C4 August 1991	-7.3 °C6 February 1991	16.9 °C	846 mm	123	53
1990	42.7 °C19 July 1990	-13.4 °C26 January 1990	16.8 °C	569 mm	140	54
1989	42.9 °C21 July 1989	-15.7 °C5 January 1989	16.9 °C	528 mm	129	64
1988	42.1 °C31 July 1988	-17.8 °C29 December 1988	15.5 °C	895 mm	123	73
1987	39.4 °C11 August 1987	-10.2 °C31 December 1987	15.2 °C	957 mm	125	68
1986	40.8 °C8 July 1986	-16.8 °C25 January 1986	15.2 °C	800 mm	110	86
1985	40.2 °C8 July 1985	-17.2 °C2 March 1985	15.2 °C	821 mm	122	75
1984	40.6 °C10 July 1984	-9.7 °C8 December 1984	15.1 °C	716 mm	127	82
1983	42.1 °C16 July 1983	-18.3 °C27 January 1983	14.4 °C	591 mm	118	93
1982	40.8 °C20 July 1982	-16.2 °C19 January 1982	13.9 °C	825 mm	119	107
1981	41.7 °C16 July 1981	-8.7 °C15 January 1981	15.8 °C	847 mm	119	65
1980	42.1 °C16 July 1980	-12.5 °C17 January 1980	16.5 °C	760 mm	127	53
1979	41.1 °C12 July 1979	-13.2 °C12 January 1979	17.4 °C	619 mm	140	32
1978	44.1 °C18 July 1978	-6.1 °C16 January 1978	17.2 °C	749 mm	131	32
1977	43.5 °C4 August 1977	-13.3 °C10 January 1977	16.8 °C	700 mm	131	43
1976	42.2 °C4 August 1976	-9.3 °C13 February 1976	15.8 °C	859 mm	111	52
1975	43.4 °C7 August 1975	-17.3 °C12 February 1975	16.1 °C	743 mm	124	65
1974	41.3 °C13 August 1974	-14.0 °C4 February 1974	15.7 °C	971 mm	136	68
1973	42.3 °C28 July 1973	-16.7 °C20 January 1973	15.7 °C	551 mm	126	80
1972	41.6 °C13 July 1972	-16.3 °C26 December 1972	14.9 °C	1,138 mm	129	79
1971	38.9 °C3 July 1971	-12.7 °C15 February 1971	15.4 °C	915 mm	118	59
1970	40.2 °C13 August 1970	-9.0 °C29 January 1970	16.4 °C	544 mm	125	45
1969	41.3 °C11 August 1969	-14.8 °C3 February 1969	16.1 °C	1,190 mm	132	45
1968	41.0 °C26 July 1968	-16.3 °C19 January 1968	15.7 °C	955 mm	115	47
1967	40.6 °C23 July 1967	-17.6 °C3 February 1967	15.0 °C	827 mm	110	71
1966	43.2 °C27 July 1966	-8.2 °C23 December 1966	17.0 °C	696 mm	119	30
1965	40.8 °C19 July 1965	-10.3 °C11 January 1965	15.3 °C	940 mm	123	59
1964	42.2 °C14 July 1964	-21.7 °C20 January 1964	14.4 °C	646 mm	127	76
1963	40.3 °C31 July 1963	-11.3 °C12 December 1963	15.5 °C	1,188 mm	111	51
1962	42.4 °C20 July 1962	-10.1 °C22 February 1962	16.6 °C	635 mm	135	53
1961	40.6 °C25 July 1961	-10.0 °C24 January 1961	15.3 °C	720 mm	112	80
1960	39.2 °C18 July 1960	-6.6 °C15 March 1960	15.8 °C	641 mm	114	59
1959	40.1 °C20 July 1959	-16.0 °C21 February 1959	14.7 °C	510 mm	104	97
1958	42.0 °C24 August 1958	-13.6 °C2 February 1958	16.7 °C	438 mm	145	60
1957	43.1 °C30 July 1957	-13.8 °C25 January 1957	14.5 °C	1,002 mm	113	74
1956	40.8 °C2 July 1956	-9.8 °C1 February 1956	14.8 °C	585 mm	114	82
1955	41.4 °C12 August 1955	-5.2 °C6 January 1955	16.3 °C	553 mm	126	41
1954	40.9 °C20 July 1954	-12.0 °C15 January 1954	16.0 °C	1,036 mm	129	47
1953	41.4 °C12 July 1953	-13.8 °C22 December 1953	15.1 °C	1,061 mm	130	78
1952	40.3 °C30 July 1952	-11.5 °C1 January 1952	15.8 °C	704 mm	122	49
1951	43.4 °C27 July 1951	-13.5 °C27 December 1951	16.3 °C	617 mm	124	50
1950	42.5 °C10 August 1950	-18.1 °C17 January 1950	15.3 °C	714 mm	131	73
1949	43.1 °C17 July 1949	-18.0 °C3 January 1949	15.1 °C	958 mm	126	76
1948	40.3 °C12 August 1948	-16.9 °C30 December 1948	15.1 °C	724 mm	125	88
1947	42.4 °C17 July 1947	-8.8 °C4 February 1947	16.3 °C	617 mm	128	50
1946	40.1 °C30 June 1946	-17.4 °C26 January 1946	15.5 °C	572 mm	120	72
1945	39.8 °C24 August 1945	-14.2 °C2 March 1945	14.8 °C	647 mm	123	103
1944	41.0 °C26 July 1944	-17.2 °C16 January 1944	15.9 °C	621 mm	122	77
1943	41.4 °C12 July 1943	-6.9 °C9 March 1943	16.2 °C	663 mm	127	61
1942	42.5 °C17 July 1942	-22.7 °C6 January 1942	16.4 °C	650 mm	140	57
1941	40.3 °C11 July 1941	-5.9 °C23 January 1941	16.4 °C	713 mm	126	51
1940	39.7 °C14 August 1940	-10.0 °C14 January 1940	15.7 °C	721 mm	120	66

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

25.5 °C

+2.3 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

143 d/yr

+14

Frost days (< 0 °C)

41 d/yr

-14

Annual rainfall

558 mm

-182 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	11.6 °C	+3.2 °C	24 mm	-102 mm
Feb	9.1 °C	-1.3 °C	71 mm	-55 mm
Mar	17.9 °C	+3.2 °C	45 mm	-88 mm
Apr	23.0 °C	+2.5 °C	84 mm	-8 mm
May	30.3 °C	+3.4 °C	13 mm	-23 mm
Jun	35.2 °C	+1.4 °C	2 mm	+0 mm
Jul	39.6 °C	+1.5 °C	1 mm	+0 mm
Aug	41.2 °C	+3.3 °C	0 mm	-0 mm
Sep	34.1 °C	+0.7 °C	0 mm	-1 mm
Oct	28.7 °C	+2.6 °C	0 mm	-28 mm
Nov	22.0 °C	+4.8 °C	56 mm	-28 mm
Dec	11.6 °C	+0.6 °C	263 mm	+149 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

44.0 °C

24 Jul 2025

Coldest day

-9.9 °C

31 Dec 2025

Wettest day

82.4 mm

9 Dec 2025

Windiest day

24.1 km/h

17 Dec 2025

Strongest gust

72.0 km/h

28 Dec 2025

Hottest feels-like

44.1 °C

23 Jul 2025

Coldest feels-like

-14.1 °C

31 Dec 2025

Snowiest day

9.1 cm

29 Dec 2025

Sunniest day

14.0 h

22 May 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Sulaymaniyah?

Sulaymaniyah has a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 16.4 °C and it receives 740 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Sulaymaniyah?

The hottest day measured in Sulaymaniyah between 1940 and 2025 was 16 July 2000, reaching 44.4 °C.

What is the coldest day in Sulaymaniyah?

The coldest day measured in Sulaymaniyah between 1940 and 2025 was 6 January 1942, at -22.7 °C.

Does it snow in Sulaymaniyah?

Yes. Sulaymaniyah gets on average 45.5 cm of snow per year and has around 55 frost days.

Has the climate of Sulaymaniyah warmed?

Yes: Sulaymaniyah warmed by +3.0 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Sulaymaniyah?

The wettest day measured in Sulaymaniyah between 1940 and 2025 was 17 March 1974, with 86 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Sulaymaniyah?

The windiest day measured in Sulaymaniyah between 1940 and 2025 was 27 March 1962, with winds reaching 31.6 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Sulaymaniyah?

The warmest month in Sulaymaniyah is July (30.2 °C on average); the coldest is January (3.0 °C).

How much does it rain in Sulaymaniyah?

Sulaymaniyah receives on average 740 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 76 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Sulaymaniyah?

Sulaymaniyah gets on average 10.7 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,905 hours per year over 1940-2025.

What is the biggest single-day snowfall in Sulaymaniyah?

The heaviest 24-hour snowfall measured in Sulaymaniyah between 1940 and 2025 was 4 February 1950, with 30.5 cm.

Are there tropical nights in Sulaymaniyah?

Yes: Sulaymaniyah has on average 45 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Sulaymaniyah?

In Sulaymaniyah, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 45.5 °C on 18 July 1978, and the lowest was -27.5 °C on 6 January 1942.

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