Hot-air balloons in Cappadocia: when do they fly?
At dawn over Göreme, dozens of hot-air balloons rise above the valleys and fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. Whether they fly is decided anew every morning: rain, strong wind or poor visibility keep them on the ground. In September, it rains on only about 2.2 days, so about 93 % of mornings are at least dry.
How likely is the right weather?
The share of days that stay dry (less than 1 mm of rain), per month. Tap a month to see its numbers.
- poor
- fair
- good
- excellent
- The moment's season
September at a glance
Your odds of dry weather
93 % chance that a given day in September stays dry
Chance of at least one dry day: 99 %
On average 2.8 of 3 days stay dry.
A guide from long-term averages, not a forecast. Days are counted as independent; weather comes in spells, so the real odds are somewhat lower.
When the balloons fly
Flights take off around sunrise – in September the sun rises at about 06:21. Turkey's civil aviation authority decides each morning whether conditions are safe. From spring to autumn most mornings are flyable; in winter, snow, fog and wind ground the balloons more often.
Cold mornings, warm afternoons
Cappadocia lies more than 1,000 m above sea level, so the mornings are fresh: in September it is only around 13 °C at dawn, while the afternoon reaches about 27 °C. Bring a warm layer for the flight.
Rain is only part of it
Our numbers count rain days, not wind or fog, which also cancel flights. Read the share of dry days as an upper limit for flyable mornings.
Balloon rides elsewhere
The share of dry days at Göreme and at other famous balloon destinations, in their main season.
- 99 %
- 98 %
- 93 %
- 85 %
Quick answers
When is the best time for a balloon ride in Cappadocia?
From April to October most mornings are flyable. July and August are the driest months, spring and autumn the mildest. In September, it rains on only about 2.2 days.
What time do balloon flights start?
Around sunrise: in September, at about 06:21. Hotel pick-up is usually about an hour earlier.
How cold is it during the flight?
At dawn about 13 °C in September on average; by the afternoon it warms up to about 27 °C.
How the numbers are worked out
All values are long-term averages for 1996–2025: rain days count 1 mm or more of precipitation, snow days 1 cm or more of fresh snow. The snow chance is the one on our destination pages. Clear sky is 100 % minus the mean cloud cover. Sunrise, sunset and darkness are calculated for the 15th of each month. The weather on a given day can be very different; check the forecast before you go.
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), 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
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