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Palestine

Bethlehem

City break

Bethlehem at a glance

Best time
Mar – May, Oct – Nov
Warmest month
Aug · 33°
Sunshine a year
2,920 h
Rain a year
319 mm
Climate
Mediterranean
Time zone
UTC+2 / UTC+3
Elevation
775 m

Climate in Bethlehem

Bethlehem has a Mediterranean climate with warm to hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters. August is the warmest month with average highs of 33 °C, while January is the coolest at 13 °C. With around 2,920 hours of sunshine a year, Bethlehem is sunny; June is the sunniest month with 10.9 hours a day.

Holiday weather through the year

Your holiday weather, at a glance

Weather in October

94

Holiday weather in October

Excellent

Best time to visit: March – May, October – November

Good forSightseeing & walks

A typical day in October

  1. Morning, 08:00: about 19°
  2. Midday, 13:00: about 26°
  3. Afternoon, 16:00: about 25°
  4. Evening, 20:00: about 21°
  5. Night, 23:00: about 19°

06:4118:08

Pleasant evenings; a light layer can help.

Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.

Light for photos in October

Golden hour
Morning 06:26–07:14 · evening 17:36–18:23
Blue hour
Morning 06:17–06:26 · evening 18:23–18:33

Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.

What is the weather like in Bethlehem in October?

In October, Bethlehem is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 4 days bring 18 mm in total. All in all, October is an excellent month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

More details for October

Daylight
11 h 27 min06:41 – 18:08
UV index
6 · highclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days
0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind
12 km/haverage daily peakAll months
Cloud cover
24 %on averageAll months
Hot days
3 days30 °C or moreAll months
Time zone
UTC+3Asia/Hebron

How the score comes together

  • Temperatureweight 50 %100 %
  • Sunshineweight 20 %68 %
  • Few rainy daysweight 30 %100 %

Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.

What to pack in October

  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses & sun hat
  • Light, breathable clothes
  • A jumper for the evenings
Sunshine

Sunshine hours in Bethlehem

Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.

Per year
2,920 hours
Sunniest month
Jun · 10.9 h a day
Least sunshine
Dec · 5.2 h a day
OctoberSunshine 7.1 hDaylight 11.4 hShare of daylight 62 %
SunshineDaylight

In October, the sun shines for about 7.1 of 11.4 hours of daylight in Bethlehem, 62 % of the day.

Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.

Sun protection

UV index in Bethlehem

How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.

Clear-sky UV in October
6 · highSeek shade around midday; sunscreen SPF 30+, hat and sunglasses.

The sun is strongest in June (UV 12).

Minutes until sunburn in October

Very fair skin
about 20 min
Fair skin
about 25 min
Light brown skin
about 35 min
Olive skin
about 45 min

Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.

Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.

Rain

Rain in Bethlehem: rainy days and rainfall

A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.

Per year
319 mm on 50 days
Wettest month
Jan · 75 mm
Driest month
Jul · 0 mm
OctoberRainy days 4Rainfall 18 mm

In October, Bethlehem has about 4 rainy days with 18 mm of rain in total.

Wind & clouds

Wind and clouds in Bethlehem

How breezy and how cloudy Bethlehem is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.

Wind

Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.

Year average
14 km/h · light breeze
Windiest month
Jun · 17 km/h
Calmest month
Nov · 11 km/h
OctoberWind 12 km/hBeaufort 3

In October, the wind in Bethlehem typically peaks at 12 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, light breeze.

Clouds

Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.

Year average
25 % · mostly sunny
Clearest month
Jul · 4 %
Cloudiest month
Jan · 44 %
OctoberCloud cover 24 %Sunshine 7.1 h

In October, cloud covers on average 24 % of the sky over Bethlehem: mostly sunny, with about 7.1 hours of sunshine a day.

Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.

Heat & humidity

Heat and humidity in Bethlehem

How often the day gets hot in Bethlehem (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.

Hot days a year
109 days
Hottest month
Aug · 33 °C
Hot months
Jun – Sep

Heat calendar

  • pleasant
  • some hot or muggy days
  • often muggy
  • often hot
  • hot and muggy
OctoberHot days (30 °C+) 3Day high 26 °C

In October, Bethlehem has about 3 hot days, with an average daytime high of 26 °C: pleasant. Heat plays no part this month.

Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year

Climate through the year

Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.

Best time to visit

Nights and sleep in Bethlehem

How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.

  • Cold 0–8°
  • Cool 8–15°
  • Pleasant 15–20°
  • Warm 20–24°

PleasantOctober: nights around 16°. Ideal for sleeping, often with the window open.

The coolest nights are in January (5°), the warmest in August (20°). Tropical nights of 20 °C and more are the rule from July to August; then air conditioning or a fan helps you sleep. Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) from May to June and from September to October. Nights fall below 8 °C on average from December to February, so the room should be heated.

Temperatures through the year

Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.

OctoberDay 26°Night 16°
DayNight
MonthScoreDayNightSunRain daysRain mm
JanuaryJan4813°5°5.4 h1075
FebruaryFeb5714°6°5.7 h965
MarchMar8418°8°7.0 h744
AprilApr9823°11°8.4 h319
MayMay9728°15°9.8 h28
JuneJun7731°17°10.9 h01
JulyJul6433°20°10.9 h00
AugustAug6333°20°10.3 h00
SeptemberSep7831°19°8.9 h12
OctoberOct9426°16°7.1 h418
NovemberNov8620°12°6.1 h635
DecemberDec6415°7°5.2 h851

Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences

31.70° N, 35.20° E · 775 m · Asia/Hebron

Best time to visit

Best time to visit Bethlehem

The best time to visit Bethlehem is from March to May and from October to November. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from March to May and from October to November. The wettest month is January with 75 mm of precipitation.

Bethlehem through the seasons

How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.

Bethlehem in spring

Mar – May

93

Excellent

  • 18–28 °C by day
  • 8 h of sun a day
  • 12 rainy days in all

Bethlehem in summer

Jun – Aug

68

Good

  • 31–33 °C by day
  • 11 h of sun a day
  • 1 rainy days in all

Bethlehem in autumn

Sep – Nov

86

Excellent

  • 20–31 °C by day
  • 7 h of sun a day
  • 10 rainy days in all

Bethlehem in winter

Dec – Feb

56

Fair

  • 13–15 °C by day
  • 5 h of sun a day
  • 27 rainy days in all

Find your perfect month

Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Bethlehem for you.

Sunshine
Little rain

Your best months: April

Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.

Compare two months in Bethlehem

Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.

vs.

October and April bring similar holiday weather to Bethlehem (score 94 and 98). In April, days are 3 °C cooler than in October. April has one rainy day fewer. The sun shines an hour longer a day in April.

October vs. April, Bethlehem
MonthOctoberApril
Weather score9498better
Day high26°23°
Night low16°11°
Sunshine7.1 h8.4 hbetter
Rainy days43better
Rainfall18 mm19 mm

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Which month for what?

Beach & swimming

No sea nearby

Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry

Sightseeing & hiking

Mar – May, Oct – Nov

15–28 °C and not too much rain

Bethlehem month by month

The typical weather for every month at a glance.

48January13° · 5 h

In January, Bethlehem is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 75 mm in total. All in all, January is a so-so month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in January
57February14° · 6 h

In February, Bethlehem is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 65 mm in total. All in all, February is a so-so month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in February
84March18° · 7 h

In March, Bethlehem is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 44 mm. All in all, March is an excellent month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in March
98April23° · 8 h

In April, Bethlehem is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 19 mm in total. All in all, April is an excellent month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in April
97May28° · 10 h

In May, Bethlehem is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 8 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in May
77June31° · 11 h

In June, Bethlehem is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. With around 11 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 18 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, June is a good month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in June
64July33° · 11 h

In July, Bethlehem is hot: daytime highs average 33 °C, and nights cool down to about 20 °C. With around 11 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 29 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, July is a good month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in July
63August33° · 10 h

In August, Bethlehem is hot: daytime highs average 33 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 20 °C. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 30 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, August is a good month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in August
78September31° · 9 h

In September, Bethlehem is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 19 °C. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. On about 18 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, September is a good month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in September
94October26° · 7 h

In October, Bethlehem is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 4 days bring 18 mm in total. All in all, October is an excellent month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in October
86November20° · 6 h

In November, Bethlehem is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 35 mm. All in all, November is an excellent month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in November
64December15° · 5 h

In December, Bethlehem is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 51 mm. All in all, December is a good month for a holiday in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in December
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Bethlehem compared

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Bethlehem vs. Jerusalem

In October the holiday weather in Bethlehem and Jerusalem is about equally good (score 94 vs. 94). During the day it is about as warm in Jerusalem as in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem vs. Jerusalem, in October
in OctoberBethlehemJerusalem
Holiday score9494
Daytime high26°26°
Sunshine7 h7 h
Rainy days44
Best timeMar – May, Oct – NovMar – May, Oct – Nov

Through the year

OctoberBethlehem 26°Jerusalem 26°
BethlehemJerusalem
Go to Jerusalem
Ranking

Palestine in October: the best places

In October, Bethlehem ranks 1 of 5 destinations in this country.

  1. BethlehemThis page26°94
  2. 2Ramallah26°94
  3. 3Hebron26°94
  4. 4Nablus27°91
  5. 5Jericho29°78
All destinations: Palestine

Planning a trip to Bethlehem

Weather for your travel dates

Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.

Bethlehem in the school holidays

How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.

Bethlehem has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 94) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 56).

  • Easter holidays

    Mar – Apr

    94

    ExcellentBest holidays

    • 21 °C by day
    • 8.0 h of sun a day
    • 5 rainy days a month

    Good for: Sightseeing & walks

  • May half-term

    May – Jun

    93

    Excellent

    • 28 °C by day
    • 10.0 h of sun a day
    • 2 rainy days a month

    Good for: Sightseeing & walks

  • Summer holidays

    Jul – Aug

    63

    Good

    • 33 °C by day
    • 10.5 h of sun a day
    • 0 rainy days a month
  • October half-term

    Oct

    94

    Excellent

    • 26 °C by day
    • 7.1 h of sun a day
    • 4 rainy days a month

    Good for: Sightseeing & walks

  • Christmas holidays

    Dec – Jan

    56

    Fair

    • 14 °C by day
    • 5.3 h of sun a day
    • 9 rainy days a month

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Getting there

Flying from

Nonstop flight
about 4 h 55 min
Distance
3,630 km
Time zone
UTC+3
Jet lag
Hardly any (under 3 h)

Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.

Frequently asked questions about Bethlehem

When is the best time to visit Bethlehem?

The best time to visit Bethlehem is from March to May and from October to November. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.

What is the warmest month in Bethlehem?

August is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C and nights around 20 °C. January is the coolest month at 13 °C.

When does it rain most in Bethlehem?

The wettest month is January with 75 mm of precipitation. The driest month is July with 0 mm.

How many hours of sunshine does Bethlehem get?

Bethlehem gets around 2,920 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is June with 10.9 hours a day; in December there are 5.2 hours a day.

What time zone is Bethlehem in?

Bethlehem uses the time zone Asia/Hebron: UTC+2 in January and UTC+3 in July.

How long is the flight from London to Bethlehem?

A nonstop flight from London to Bethlehem takes about 4 h 55 min, for a straight-line distance of about 3,630 km.

Which school holidays are best for Bethlehem?

Bethlehem has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 94) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 56). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 94, May half-term 93, Summer holidays 63, October half-term 94, Christmas holidays 56.

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