Iran is a vast country, and has different types of climate: mild and quite wet on the coast of the Caspian Sea, continental and arid in the plateau, cold in high mountains, desert and hot in the southern coast and in the southeast.
Generally speaking, Iran is an arid country, however in the west and the north the rains are a bit more abundant than in the east and the south. The only rainy area is the Caspian Sea coast. Summer is sunny is everywhere (except on the shores of the Caspian Sea).

Index

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• The Caspian Sea (Rasht)
• The plateau (Tabriz, Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz)
• Mountains
• The south (Ahwaz, Bandar-e-Abbas, Chabahar, Iranshahr)
• Cyclones
• When to go
• What to pack

The Caspian Sea

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Along the coast overlooking the Caspian Sea, the climate is mild, almost Mediterranean, with fairly mild and rainy winters, and hot and humid summers, when the daily averages are around 25/27 °C (77/81 °F), and sometimes thunderstorms may erupt. The Caspian Sea is actually a huge salt lake, and the coast is situated about 20 metres below sea level. In the western part, winter is a bit colder than in the eastern part: the January average goes from 5 to 7 °C (41 to 44.5 °F), from west to east.

Rasht

Here are the average temperatures of Rasht, city that is located a short distance from the western part of the coast.

The annual precipitation amounts to 800/1,200 millimetres (32/47 inches), with a maximum in autumn, and a minimum in summer.
Here is the average precipitation in Rasht.

In Rasht the sun rarely shines from October to April, but even in summer it is not seen so often: on average, just 7 hours a day in June and July. In fact, the summer is not always sunny: some days are cloudy, and as mentioned some thunderstorms may occur.

The southern Caspian Sea is warm enough for swimming from June to October, as you can see in the following table.

On the slopes at the foot of the Alborz Mountains, the landscape is very green, and covered by forests. This is the wettest area of Iran.



In the area to the east of the Caspian Sea, occupied by plains and hills (Golestan), the climate becomes arid, almost desert, with hot summers.
To visit this area, the best time is spring, especially in the month of May, because autumn, though mild, is rainy.

The Plateau

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Much of Iran is covered by high plateaus and mountain ranges. The plateaus experience high temperature variations between winter and summer, and have a continental climate in the north, with cold winters and hot summers, while the climate becomes sub-tropical in the central-southern part, where winters are a bit milder, and summers are torrid and sunny. In the northernmost part, winter is very cold, because of the influence of cold air masses coming from Russia. In summer, the Iranian plateau heats up a lot, so that a thermal low pressure forms, but the heat is usually bearable, at least when the temperature is not too high, because of the low relative humidity.

Tabriz

In Tabriz, located in the north-west, at 1,350 metres (4,400 feet) above sea level, winter is definitely cold: the average January temperature is -3 °C (27 °F). From November to March, it often snows, and frosts can be intense: the temperature at night can drop to -20 °C (-4 °F). Summer is hot and sunny, but a little less hot than in the rest of the plateau: the daily average in July and August is 26.5 °C (79.5 °F), however, there can be torrid days, with peaks of 38/40 °C (100/104 °F). Here are the average temperatures.

The annual precipitation amount in Tabriz is typical of a semi-arid climate, about 310 mm (12 in) per year; there's a maximum in spring and a minimum in summer, with some rain also in May, and occasional showers in June and September.
Here is the average precipitation.

In Tabriz the sun shines regularly in summer, while in winter there is an alternation of cloudy and sunny days.

In Lake Urmia, west of the city, the climate is similar to that of Tabriz.

Tehran

Although it's located in northern Iran, the capital city, Tehran, has a milder winter compared to other northern cities such as Tabriz, because the Alborz Mountains partially protect it from the north wind. Of course, even here in winter it may snow and freeze, although less often, and with less intense frosts: temperatures don't go below -8/-10 °C (14/18 °F). Tehran is a vast city, close to the mountains, so the northern suburbs, located at an altitude of up to 1,700 metres (5,600 feet) above sea level, are colder than the central and southern areas, which are located around 1,000/1,200 metres (3,300/4,000 feet), so the average daily temperature in January goes from 2 °C (35.5 °F) in the northern area, to 4 °C (39 °F) in the southern one, while in July it ranges from 28 to 30 °C (82 to 86 °F). Summer in Tehran is hot, with torrid days, usually around 35/37 °C (95/99 °F) in July and August, but the humidity is low and the wind blows frequently. Here are the average temperatures.

In Tehran, only 230 mm (9 in) of rain per year fall, most of which occur from November to April: the desert is not far. Here is the average precipitation.

In Tehran too, the sun shines regularly in summer, while in winter there is an alternation of cloudy and sunny days.

In Mashhad, in the north-east of the country, at an altitude of 1,000 metres (3,300 feet), the daily average goes from 1.5 °C (34.5 °F) in January to 26 °C (79 °F) in July. In winter, snowfalls and severe frosts are possible, so that the temperature can drop to around -20 °C (-4 °F), while in summer the heat is often scorching, with peaks of 40/42 °C (104/108 °F). In a typical year, 250 mm (10 in) of rain fall.
In the south-central and eastern part of the plateau, the climate is a bit milder in winter, although the temperature varies with altitude, and frosts are generally possible at night, especially at high altitudes.

Isfahan

In Isfahan, located in the centre of the country and at 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) above sea level, the average in January is 3 °C (37.5 °F), while that of July is 29 °C (84 °F): therefore the temperatures are similar to those of Tehran. Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation is very scarce and desert-like: only 110 mm (4.4 in) per year.



At 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) above sea level, at the latitude of Isfahan the average in January is 0 °C (32 °F), while in July it's 25 °C (77 °F): this gives an idea on how much the Iranian plateau heats up in summer.
Qom is located at 900 metres (3,000 feet) above sea level, south of Tehran, at the edge of the Kavir desert. In a typical year, only 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain fall; the average January temperature is 4 °C (39 °F), while summer is particularly hot, so much so that the average in July is 31 °C (88 °F), with highs generally around 40 °C (104 °F).

Shiraz

Shiraz is located in the south, at an altitude of 1,500 metres (5,000 feet); at this latitude the winter is quite mild even at an altitude so high: the average goes from 6 °C (43 °F) in January to 29 °C (84 °F) in July.

Precipitation amounts to 305 mm (12 in) per year, as usual, with a minimum in summer.

In addition to the temperature, the southern location of Shiraz is evident also in the fact that the sun shines very often even in winter.

Persepolis is located about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Shiraz, at 1,600 metres (5,250 feet) above sea level, and therefore has a climate similar to that of Shiraz.

The Kavir desert (Dasht-e-Kavir, "Great Salt Desert") is a large, arid and inhospitable area, located south-east of Tehran (see the green area in the map). There are sand dunes, but also salt lakes fed by rivers flowing down from the mountains, which are dried for much of the year, partly because of the strong evaporation. The desert is located at an altitude of about 700 metres (2,300 feet). Here winter is quite cold, while summer is torrid.

To visit Tehran and the cities of the plateau, the best times are spring and autumn, especially the months of April and October. In the coldest northern cities such as Tabriz, you can move the date two weeks towards summer (so mid-April to mid-May and mid-September to mid-October), while in warmer cities like Qom, you can move it two weeks towards winter (ie mid-March to mid-April and mid-October to mid-November).

The mountains

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Iran is a particularly mountainous country. This map only gives an indication of the distribution of the main mountain ranges. The major ranges are Alborz, whose highest point is Mount Damavand, 5,610 metres (18,405 feet) high and located south of the Caspian Sea, and Zagros, a long chain located in the west, whose highest peaks are around 4,200 metres (13,800 ft), and which isolates the Iranian plateau from the mild currents of Mediterranean origin. In winter, high mountains experience snowfalls, frosts and strong winds. The snow cover lasts for many months on the tops, but then it melts almost everywhere, because summer is hot even at high altitudes. Only in the north, on the peaks of Alborz, there are glaciers above 3,500 metres (11,500 ft), for example on Damavand and Alam Kuh.

The south

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The southern part of Iran, compared with the rest of the country is really a world apart, being warm most of the year, semi-desert and with virtually no winter.
The winter is mild in the west, at the border with Iraq, in the plain of the Shatt-al-Arab, where cities like Dezful, Ahwaz and Abadan are found, and where the average in January is about 11 °C (52 °F), while summer is scorchingly hot, with highs around 43/45 °C in July and August, and peaks of 52 °C (125.5 °F). In winter, sometimes cold air masses can lower the temperature, and there may be some frosts at night. Only the northern part is relatively rainy: in Dezful, 385 mm (15 in) of rain per year fall, with moderate rainfall from December to February, while in Ahvaz the rainfall amount drops to 230 mm (9 in), and in Abadan to 150 mm (6 in) per year.

Ahwaz

Here are the average temperatures of Ahwaz, which in summer is one of the hottest cities in the world.

In Ahvaz, the sun shines for a good number of hours in winter, while in summer the sky is normally clear.

Along the coast of the Persian Gulf, winter becomes even milder, with January averages going from 14.5 °C (58 °F) in Busher, to 18 °C (64 °F) in Bandar-e-Abbas, the latter located in the Strait of Hormuz. Here are the average temperatures in Bushehr.

The Persian Gulf is a bit cool in winter, while in summer it gets very warm, exceeding 30 °C (86 °F) for a few months.

In summer the temperatures are high during the day, with highs around 37/38 °C (99/100 °F), and even the night temperatures remain very high, around 28/30 °C (82/86 °F); the humidity coming from the sea makes the heat sweltering and hard to bear. The rainfall amount is low, typical of a semi-desert climate: 230 mm (9 in) per year in Bushehr, and 170 mm (6.7 in) in Bandar-e-Abbas.

Bandar-e-Abbas

Here are the average temperatures of Bandar-e-Abbas.

In Bandar-e-Abbas the sun often shines all the year round, but in summer there is a certain increase in cloudiness, due though still poor effects of the summer monsoon.

In winter, the Strait of Hormuz is a bit warmer than the Persian Gulf, and also warm enough for swimming, as it does not drop below 23 °C (73 °F) in February and March.

East of the Strait of Hormuz, on the Gulf of Oman, the average of January reaches 20 °C (68 °F), therefore the climate becomes almost tropical. Summer becomes progressively less warm as you go eastward, because this area begins to be affected by the Indian monsoon.

Chabahar

In Chabahar (or Chah-Bahar, formerly Bandar Beheshti), the warmest month is June, with an average maximum of 35 °C (95 °F), but then in July and August there may be overcast and muggy days, though with very little rainfall, and in these months the average high drops to 32/34 °C (90/93 °F).

In Chabahar there is a certain decrease in the sunshine hours in summer, even more evident than in Bandar-e-Abbas.

The Gulf of Oman is warm enough for swimming even in winter, while in summer it is very warm, but a little less than the Strait of Hormuz.

North of this area, and south-east of the Kavir desert, we find another desert, even more inhospitable, the Lut Desert (Dasht-e-Lut, the area circled in orange in the map). The Lut, generally sandy, is mild in winter during the day, but with cold nights, and very hot in summer, especially in the southern part, where the altitude drops to 200 metres (650 feet) above sea level. The peaks of summer heat, around 55 °C (131 °F), make it one of the hottest deserts in the world.
Further south, the region of Sistan and Baluchistan, at least in the part below 1,000 metres (3,300 feet), has a similar climate.

Iranshahr

In Iranshahr, at 550 metres (1,800 feet) of altitude, the average goes from 14.5 °C (58 °F) in January to 37 °C (99 °F) in July, with an average maximum temperature of 45 °C (113 °F): so this is one of the hottest cities in the world.

In this southern region of Iran, the best months are March and November in the area of the Persian Gulf, while in the eastern part, from the Strait of Hormuz to the east, and also in Sistan and Baluchistan, the best period runs from December to February.

Tropical cyclones

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The southeastern part of Iran, overlooking the Gulf of Oman, in the provinces of Hormozgan and Sistan and Baluchestan, may be affected by tropical cyclones. Cyclones typically do not directly affect Iran, but pass to the south, towards the Arabian Peninsula, or to the east, towards Pakistan, bringing nonetheless rain and wind in the southeastern tip of Iran (as happened with Cyclone Phet on early June 2010). More rarely, it can happen that they can reach the coast, and maybe penetrate a little inland, before dissipating, as happened twice in June 2007, at the beginning of the month with Cyclone Gonu, and at the end of the month with Cyclone Yemyin.
Cyclones form from May to November, and are more frequent at the beginning of the period (May-June), and a little less at the end (October-November).

When to go

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Given the vastness of Iran and its different climates, it is difficult to find a period that is best for all the country, however, you can choose spring, in particular April, which can still be a bit cold in the north and in the mountains, and can already be hot in the south, in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and even more so in Sistan and Baluchistan. Autumn can be nice as well, especially the month of October, but in the south it's even hotter than in April, while it may be rainy on the Caspian Sea.

What to pack

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In winter: on the coast of the Caspian Sea, warm clothes, sweater, jacket, raincoat or umbrella. In Tabriz, the northern plateau and high mountains, very warm clothes, down jacket, hat, scarf, gloves. In Tehran and Isfahan, warm clothes, sweater, coat, hat. In the Lut, spring/autumn clothes, light for the day, sweater, jacket, scarf for the sand. In the coast of the Persian Gulf and Bandar-e-Abbas, spring/autumn clothes, jacket and sweater; for the Gulf of Oman, spring/autumn clothes, light for the day, light jacket and sweater.

In summer: on the coast of the Caspian Sea, light clothes, light sweatshirt for the evening, scarf for the breeze, possibly a light raincoat or umbrella. In Tehran and the major cities of the plateau, loose fitting, light-coloured clothing, light and long shirt and pants of natural fibres (cotton, linen), a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, comfortable and breathable shoes, desert turban, a sweatshirt for the evening. Above 2,000 metres (6,500 feet), you can add a jacket for the evening.
On high mountains, warmer clothes depending on the altitude. On the shores of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, tropics-friendly, lightweight clothes, desert turban, sweatshirt and scarf for air conditioned.
To visit mosques, you must cover shoulders and knees, and have bare feet. Women should avoid low-cut dresses.