Climate in Azerbaijan

In Azerbaijan, a small country in the South Caucasus between Europe and Asia, the climate is slightly continental, with relatively cold winters and hot summers; it is also arid in most of the low-lying areas, while it is colder and generally rainier in the mountains.
Precipitation ranges from 200 to 400 millimeters (8 to 16 inches) per year in most of the plains and hills, except for the southern part of the Caspian Sea coast, where it exceeds 1,000 millimeters (40 inches) per year. Therefore, the coast on the Caspian Sea is semi-arid in the northern part and arid in the center (where the capital, Baku, is located), while it is rainy in the southernmost stretch, which is therefore an exception to the rule that the plains of Azerbaijan are arid.
The mountainous areas are usually green and full of forests and streams. Here, precipitation generally exceeds 1,000 mm (40 in) per year, and can sometimes exceed 1,500 mm (60 in).
There are also some natural parks located in the plain and along the coast, to protect the species of birds that come to nest in these area, or marine animals such as seals.
The highest peak in Azerbaijan is Bazardüzü, 4,466 meters (14,652 feet) high, located in the northern Caucasus Range, on the border with the Russian Republic of Dagestan.
The Caspian Sea temperature is warm enough for swimming from July to September, when it exceeds 23 °C (73 °F), while it's still cool in June.

The climate in detail

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• The seasons
• When to go
• What to pack

The seasons

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Winter, from December to February, is quite cold but not freezing, at least in the plains.
The average temperature in January is 4/5 °C (39/41 °F) in the main cities, which are located in the plains or in any case below 500 meters (1,600 feet), while it drops to -1 °C (30 °F) in Nakhchivan, located at 900 meters (2,950 feet) above sea level, in a small exclave between Armenia and Iran.
The Caucasus Mountain Range partially protects the interior of the country from outbreaks of cold air from Russia, in fact, the north wind descending from the mountains is warm and dry, similar to the Foehn or Chinook, while along the coast, the cold wind blows intensely but it's tempered by the Caspian Sea.
This does not mean that there can be cold periods, with snowfalls and frosts on the coast (see Baku, Lenkoran), but especially in inland areas (see Ganja), where cold air stagnates with more ease.
During the most severe cold spells, temperatures can drop to -10 °C (14 °F) on the coast and -15 °C (5 °F) inland, while they can drop below -20 °C (-4 °F) in Nakhchivan.



Summer, from June to August, is hot and sunny, with some afternoon thunderstorms in inland areas.
Below 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), the average temperature in July and August is 26/27 °C (79/81 °F).
Sometimes there can be heat waves, during which the temperature can reach 38/40 °C (100/104 °F).

When to go

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The best times to travel to Azerbaijan are spring and autumn, and in particular, the months of May and October, although in October, it rains a lot in the southern city of Lenkoran. Indeed, in winter it can be very cold while in summer it can be very hot.
September is usually a good month as well, in Baku and the main territory, while the exclave of Nakhchivan can still be hot in this month.

What to pack

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In winter: in Baku, in the plains and on the coast, bring warm clothes, such as a sweater, a jacket, a hat, and a raincoat or umbrella. In high mountains, bring mountain clothes, hiking shoes. In Nakhchivan, bring very warm clothes, a fleece, a down jacket, gloves, and a hat.
In summer: in Baku, in the plains and on the coast, bring light clothes for the day, a sun hat, a light sweatshirt for the evening, and a scarf for the breeze. In the mountains, bring spring/autumn clothes, a sun hat, a sweater and a jacket, hiking shoes, and possibly a raincoat or umbrella; bring mountain outfit for the highest peaks.
For the Nakhchivan: in the capital and the valley, bring lightweight clothes for the day, a light sweatshirt for the evening; at higher altitudes, add a jacket and a sweater for the evening.

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See also the temperatures month by month