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Climate - Libya


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Libya

Map - Libya

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Index


  • Introduction
  • The coast - Tripoli
  • Hill areas - Bayda
  • The desert - Sabha

Introduction



In Libya, the climate is Mediterranean in the thin coastal strip and desert in the interior. Actually, although the temperatures on the coast are typical of the Mediterranean climate, the rainfall level is very low, semi-desert in Tripolitania and Cirenaica, and even desert in the Gulf of Sidra (or Sirte). Only in the hills near the coast of Cyrenaica (called Jebel Akhdar), precipitation is between 400 and 700 millimeters (16 and 27.5 inches) per year, so much so that they are covered by a Maquis shrubland.
Along the coast, which is the only plain area that receives non-sporadic rains, most of the rainfall occurs from October to early April, with a peak in December and January. The amount is usually low, between 200 and 350 mm (8 and 14 in) per year in Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, and between 100 and 200 mm (4 and 8 in) in the Gulf of Sirte (which is definitely desert in the southernmost part), while to the east of Cyrenaica, in the easternmost part of the coast, on the border with Egypt (see Tobruk), it drops again to around 100 mm (4 in). The rains on the coast are due to depressions coming from the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean Sea, and between one depression and the other, there are long periods of good weather even in winter; since the period when the rain can fall is limited, during some years, a decrease in the winter rainfall may cause droughts, whose effects are felt until the following autumn.
In summer, the sun shines and it almost never rains throughout Libya, although in the southern part, in full desert, some showers may occur because of the African monsoon, which affects the Sahel region in the warmest months, and whose extreme offshoots can sometimes arrive here. Along the coast, air humidity is high, though sea breezes blow in the afternoon, relieving the heat. Actually, in summer, the northern winds blow even at high altitude, since they are due to the baric configuration of the region, with a high pressure system over the western part of the Mediterranean and a low pressure system on the eastern side, and that's why the Libyan desert is not as hot as the Algerian desert. The average maximum temperature in summer ranges from 30 °C (86 °F) along the coast, to 35/37 °C (95/99 °F) in the north-central inland area, to 40/41 °C (104/406 °F) in the south.
Throughout the year, but more often in spring and autumn, Libya can be affected by the Ghibli, a hot and dry wind, which is able to raise dust and cause sudden increases in temperature; this phenomenon is even more evident along the coast, where it also produces a sudden drop in relative humidity, which here is generally high because of the influence of the sea. In these cases, the temperature can exceed 40 °C (104 °F) from April to October even on the coast, while in winter it can reach 30 °C (86 °F).

The coast



The main Libyan cities located on the coast (Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata) have a Mediterranean climate, with mild, quite rainy winters and hot, sunny summers, with highs in July and August around 30 °C (86 °F). In summer, as mentioned, the air is humid and the north wind prevails.

Tripoli

These temperatures are also recorded in the old quarters of Tripoli, however, in the meteorological station of the international airport, which is located about 20 km (12 mi) further south, and therefore further from the sea and closer to the desert, the summer temperatures are much higher. Here are the average temperatures.
Tripoli - Average temperatures (1991-2014)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January71812.5456454.5
February71913456655.4
March102316.1497360.9
April132619.5558067.1
May163123.5628774.3
June203427689480.7
July213628.6719683.5
August223629.4729884.9
September213427.6709381.8
October183024.1648775.4
November122418.3547565
December81913.8476656.8
Year14.827.621.158.681.770

Between the cities of the coast, Tripoli, located in the western part, is the rainiest city, and receives 330 millimeters (13 inches) of rain per year, with a peak of 60/70 mm (2.4/2.8 in) per month between November and January. In Benghazi, rainfall amounts to 260 mm (10.2 in) per year, while in Misrata, near the dry Gulf of Sirte, it amounts to just 190 mm (7.5 in); in Sirte, in the gulf of the same name, it's about 180 mm (7 in), and in Tobruk, located in the east, it drops to only 110 mm (4.3 in).
Here is the average precipitation in Tripoli.
Tripoli - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January602.49
February301.26
March301.26
April150.63
May50.22
June101
July100
August000
September150.62
October451.87
November602.47
December702.89
Year33513.252

Along the coast, the sky is normally clear in summer, while in winter, there is an alternation between sunny periods and bad weather periods. Here are the average sunshine hours per day in Tripoli.
Tripoli - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January5.5170
February6.5190
March7.5225
April8.5255
May10305
June10295
July11.5355
August11340
September8.5260
October7.5225
November6185
December5.5165
Year8.12975

The sea in Libya is warm enough to swim in from July to October, while it is a bit cool in June and November.
Tripoli - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January1763
February1662
March1662
April1763
May1967
June2272
July2678
August2781
September2781
October2577
November2272
December2067
Year21.470.6

About 20 km (12 mi) south of Tripoli airport we find el-Azizia, where the average of the July and August highs rises to 37/38 °C (99/100 °F), and where it was mistakenly assumed that the world highest record had occurred, due an incorrect measurement carried out in 1922.

Hill areas


Bayda

A special case is represented by Bayda, located at 600 meters (2,000 feet) above sea level, on the hills of Cyrenaica, which receives 540 mm (21 in) of rain per year. Here, in winter, owing to the altitude, it can even snow during cold waves. Here is the average precipitation in Bayda.
Bayda - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January1204.713
February853.311
March602.47
April301.24
May70.32
June20.10
July100
August100
September120.51
October552.24
November602.47
December1104.311
Year54521.460

In Bayda, the daily average temperature ranges from 10 °C (50 °F) in January and February to 23.5 °C (74 °F) in August. Here are the average temperatures.
Bayda - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January61410435750
February61510.5435950.9
March81813466455.4
April102216507260.8
May142620577968
June173023.5638674.3
July182923.5648474.3
August182923.5648474.3
September172822.5638272.5
October152620.5597968.9
November112116527060.8
December81712.5466354.5
Year12.42317.654.373.363.5

South of Tripoli, there is a mountain range, the Nafusa Mountains, where there are some cities located at an altitude of almost 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), such as Nalut, Zintan, Lefren, Gharyan, which, in winter, are slightly colder than the same Bayda.

Snow in Bayda

The desert



In the vast desert regions of Libya, good weather prevails throughout the year. During winter, the temperature range is high, in fact, nights are cold (the temperature can drop to around freezing, and even a few degrees below in the north-central part), while days are pleasant, around 20 °C (68 °F). The daytime temperature exceeds 30 °C (86 °F) from April to October. In summer, the highest recorded temperatures are around 47/48 °C (117/118 °F). The rains are very scarce and sporadic, in the form of downpours: some areas can see no rain for years. The desert is almost everywhere uninhabited, except near the oases, which are fed by water springs emerging from underground, such as the oases of Kufra and Sabha.

Sabha

Here is the average temperature of Sabha, located at 400 meters (1,300 feet) above sea level, in central-western Libya, at 27 degrees north latitude.
Sabha - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January61912.7436654.9
February82114.6467058.3
March122719.8548167.6
April173224.5638976.1
May223628.9719783.9
June253931.97610389.5
July253931.77610289
August253931.67610188.9
September243830.97510087.6
October193325.8669178.5
November122619.1547966.4
December72013.7456956.7
Year16.830.823.7562.387.575

The sun in the desert regularly shines throughout the year. Here are the average sunshine hours in Sabha.
Sabha - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January8.5260
February9250
March8.5270
April9275
May10305
June11.5340
July12375
August11.5360
September10295
October9285
November8.5260
December8250
Year9.73525

Libyan desert

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 Benghazi
 Ghadames
 Kufra
 Sabha
 Tripoli

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