Erbil weather by month & best time to visit

Your holiday weather, at a glance

79

Holiday weather in October

Good

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

Air temperature30°CNight 16°All months

Sea temperature–no sea nearby

Sunshine7hrs / dayof 11.3 h daylightAll months Rainy days3days / month25 mmAll months

A typical day in October

Morning, 08:00: about 21°
Midday, 13:00: about 29°
Afternoon, 16:00: about 28°
Evening, 20:00: about 22°
Night, 23:00: about 20°

06:1017:29

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 05:54–06:44 · evening 16:55–17:45
Blue hour: Morning 05:44–05:54 · evening 17:45–17:55

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 Erbil in October?

In October, Erbil is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 25 mm in total. On about 15 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, October is a good month for a holiday in Erbil.

More details for October

Daylight: 11 h 20 min06:10 – 17:29
UV index: 5 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days: 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind: 13 km/haverage daily peakAll months
Cloud cover: 25 %on averageAll months
Hot days: 15 days30 °C or moreAll months
Time zone: UTC+3Asia/Baghdad

How the score comes together

Temperatureweight 50 %69 %
Sunshineweight 20 %73 %
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
Light, breathable clothes
Water bottle – drink plenty

Sunshine

Sunshine hours in Erbil

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

OctoberSunshine 7.4 hDaylight 11.3 hShare of daylight 65 %

SunshineDaylight

In October, the sun shines for about 7.4 of 11.3 hours of daylight in Erbil, 65 % 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 Erbil

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

Clear-sky UV in October: 5 · moderateAround midday seek shade; use sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.

The sun is strongest in June (UV 11).

Minutes until sunburn in October

Very fair skin: about 25 min
Fair skin: about 35 min
Light brown skin: about 45 min
Olive skin: about 60 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 Erbil: 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.

OctoberRainy days 3Rainfall 25 mm

In October, Erbil has about 3 rainy days with 25 mm of rain in total.

Wind & clouds

Wind and clouds in Erbil

How breezy and how cloudy Erbil 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.

OctoberWind 13 km/hBeaufort 3

In October, the wind in Erbil typically peaks at 13 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, light breeze.

Clouds

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

OctoberCloud cover 25 %Sunshine 7.4 h

In October, cloud covers on average 25 % of the sky over Erbil: mostly sunny, with about 7.4 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 Erbil

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

Heat calendar

pleasant
some hot or muggy days
often muggy
often hot
hot and muggy

OctoberHot days (30 °C+) 15Day high 30 °C

In October, Erbil has about 15 hot days, with an average daytime high of 30 °C: often hot. Avoid the midday sun, look for shade and drink plenty.

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 Erbil

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°
Hot 24° and more

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

The coolest nights are in January (2°), the warmest in July (26°). Tropical nights of 20 °C and more are the rule from June to September; then air conditioning or a fan helps you sleep. Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) in May and in October. Nights fall below 8 °C on average from December to March, so the room should be heated.

Temperatures through the year

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

OctoberDay 30°Night 16°

DayNight

Month	Score	Day	Night	Sun	Rain days	Rain mm
JanuaryJan	43	12°	2°	5.0 h	11	99
FebruaryFeb	57	14°	3°	6.0 h	9	84
MarchMar	79	18°	6°	6.6 h	10	84
AprilApr	89	24°	11°	7.9 h	7	56
MayMay	73	31°	17°	9.9 h	4	22
JuneJun	50	38°	23°	11.4 h	0	1
JulyJul	50	42°	26°	11.5 h	0	0
AugustAug	50	42°	26°	11.0 h	0	0
SeptemberSep	50	37°	21°	9.6 h	0	1
OctoberOct	79	30°	16°	7.4 h	3	25
NovemberNov	87	20°	8°	6.3 h	6	56
DecemberDec	59	14°	4°	5.1 h	8	83

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

36.19° N, 44.01° E · 429 m · Asia/Baghdad

Best time to visit

Best time to visit Erbil

The best time to visit Erbil is from March to April and from October to November. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from March to April and in November. From June to September it can get very hot, with highs of up to 42 °C. The wettest month is January with 99 mm of precipitation.

Erbil through the seasons

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

Erbil in spring

Mar – May

80

Excellent

18–31 °C by day
8 h of sun a day
22 rainy days in all

Erbil in summer

Jun – Aug

50

Fair

38–42 °C by day
11 h of sun a day
1 rainy days in all

Erbil in autumn

Sep – Nov

72

Good

20–37 °C by day
8 h of sun a day
9 rainy days in all

Erbil in winter

Dec – Feb

53

Fair

12–14 °C by day
5 h of sun a day
28 rainy days in all

Find your perfect month

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

Preferred daytime temperature 23 °C

Sunshine

Little rain

Avoid muggy heat

Your best months: April

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

Compare two months in Erbil

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

vs.

April has the better holiday weather in Erbil: score 89 against 79. In April, days are 6 °C cooler than in October. April has 4 more rainy days. The sun shines an hour longer a day in April.

October vs. April, Erbil
Month	October	April
Weather score	79	89better
Day high	30°	24°
Night low	16°	11°
Sunshine	7.4 h	7.9 hbetter
Rainy days	3better	7
Rainfall	25 mmbetter	56 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 – Apr, Nov

15–28 °C and not too much rain

Peak heat

Jun – Sep

Highs of 33 °C or more

Erbil month by month

The typical weather for every month at a glance.

43January12° · 5 h

In January, Erbil is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 99 mm in total. All in all, January is a so-so month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in January

57February14° · 6 h

In February, Erbil is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 84 mm in total. All in all, February is a so-so month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in February

79March18° · 7 h

In March, Erbil is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 84 mm in total. All in all, March is a good month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in March

89April24° · 8 h

In April, Erbil is warm: daytime highs average 24 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 56 mm. All in all, April is an excellent month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in April

73May31° · 10 h

In May, Erbil is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 4 days bring 22 mm in total. On about 19 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, May is a good month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in May

50June38° · 11 h

In June, Erbil is very hot: daytime highs average 38 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 23 °C. With around 11 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, June is a so-so month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in June

50July42° · 12 h

In July, Erbil is very hot: daytime highs average 42 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. With around 12 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 31 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, July is a so-so month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in July

50August42° · 11 h

In August, Erbil is very hot: daytime highs average 42 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. With around 11 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 31 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, August is a so-so month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in August

50September37° · 10 h

In September, Erbil is very hot: daytime highs average 37 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 21 °C. With around 10 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, September is a so-so month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in September

79October30° · 7 h

In October, Erbil is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 25 mm in total. On about 15 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, October is a good month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in October

87November20° · 6 h

In November, Erbil is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 56 mm. All in all, November is an excellent month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in November

59December14° · 5 h

In December, Erbil is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 83 mm. All in all, December is a so-so month for a holiday in Erbil.

Erbil in December

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Erbil compared

Put Erbil side by side with another destination.

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Erbil vs. Mosul

In October the holiday weather in Erbil and Mosul is about equally good (score 79 vs. 77). During the day it is about as warm in Mosul as in Erbil. Mosul gets one more hour of sunshine a day.

Erbil vs. Mosul, in October
in October	Erbil	Mosul
Holiday score	79	77
Daytime high	30°	30°
Sunshine	7 h	8 h
Rainy days	3	2
Best time	Mar – Apr, Oct – Nov	Mar – Apr, Nov

Through the year

OctoberErbil 30°Mosul 30°

ErbilMosul

Go to Mosul

Ranking

Iraq in October: the best places

In October, Erbil ranks 2 of 7 destinations in this country.

Sulaymaniyah27°93
2ErbilThis page30°79
3Mosul30°77
4Fallujah34°55
5Karbala34°51
6Baghdad35°49
7Basra37°47

All destinations: Iraq

Planning a trip to Erbil

Weather for your travel dates

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

ArrivalNights

Erbil 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.

Erbil has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 86) and its weakest during the summer holidays (score 50).

Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
86
ExcellentBest holidays
- 23 °C by day
- 7.5 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
May half-term
May – Jun
68
Good
- 33 °C by day
- 10.2 h of sun a day
- 4 rainy days a month
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
50
Fair
- 42 °C by day
- 11.2 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat
October half-term
Oct
79
Good
- 30 °C by day
- 7.4 h of sun a day
- 3 rainy days a month
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
51
Fair
- 13 °C by day
- 5.1 h of sun a day
- 9 rainy days a month

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Getting there

Flying from

Nonstop flight: about 5 h 10 min
Distance: 3,870 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 Erbil

When is the best time to visit Erbil?

The best time to visit Erbil is from March to April 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 Erbil?

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 42 °C and nights around 26 °C. January is the coolest month at 12 °C.

When does it rain most in Erbil?

The wettest month is January with 99 mm of precipitation. The driest month is August with 0 mm.

How many hours of sunshine does Erbil get?

Erbil gets around 2,980 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 11.5 hours a day; in January there are 5.0 hours a day.

What time zone is Erbil in?

Erbil uses the time zone Asia/Baghdad, at UTC+3 all year.

How long is the flight from London to Erbil?

A nonstop flight from London to Erbil takes about 5 h 10 min, for a straight-line distance of about 3,870 km.

Which school holidays are best for Erbil?

Erbil has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 86) and its weakest during the summer holidays (score 50). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 86, May half-term 68, Summer holidays 50, October half-term 79, Christmas holidays 51.

Near Erbil

Other destinations close by.

Places with a climate like Erbil

Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Erbil's – good alternatives.