Climate - Istanbul (Turkey)
Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours
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Climate chart - Istanbul
The climate of Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey, can be defined as transitional Mediterranean, in fact, it has quite cold winters, but otherwise it has Mediterranean characteristics: the rainiest seasons are autumn and winter, and summer is hot and sunny.
The city is located in the west of Turkey, at 41 degrees north latitude, in the Bosphorus strait, which separates the Black Sea from the Sea of Marmara, and also Europe from Asia.
Here are the average temperatures.
Istanbul - Average temperatures (1991-2020) | Month | Min (°C) | Max (°C) | Mean (°C) | Min (°F) | Max (°F) | Mean (°F) |
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| January | 3.3 | 9 | 6.2 | 38 | 48 | 43.1 |
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| February | 3.4 | 9.7 | 6.5 | 38 | 49 | 43.7 |
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| March | 5.1 | 12.3 | 8.7 | 41 | 54 | 47.7 |
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| April | 8.4 | 16.9 | 12.7 | 47 | 62 | 54.8 |
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| May | 13.7 | 22.1 | 17.9 | 57 | 72 | 64.1 |
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| June | 18.5 | 27 | 22.8 | 65 | 81 | 73 |
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| July | 21.3 | 29.7 | 25.5 | 70 | 85 | 77.9 |
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| August | 21.8 | 29.9 | 25.8 | 71 | 86 | 78.5 |
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| September | 17.8 | 25.7 | 21.8 | 64 | 78 | 71.2 |
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| October | 13.7 | 20.5 | 17.1 | 57 | 69 | 62.7 |
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| November | 9 | 15.5 | 12.2 | 48 | 60 | 54 |
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| December | 5.3 | 11 | 8.1 | 42 | 52 | 46.6 |
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| Year | 11.8 | 19.2 | 15.45 | 53.3 | 66.5 | 60 |
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Precipitation amounts to 680 millimeters (26.7 inches) per year; the wettest months are November and December. Here is the average precipitation.
Istanbul - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
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| January | 60 | 2.4 | 9 |
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| February | 65 | 2.6 | 9 |
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| March | 70 | 2.8 | 8 |
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| April | 55 | 2.2 | 8 |
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| May | 35 | 1.4 | 5 |
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| June | 25 | 1 | 4 |
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| July | 25 | 1 | 3 |
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| August | 40 | 1.6 | 3 |
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| September | 40 | 1.6 | 5 |
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| October | 80 | 3.1 | 7 |
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| November | 85 | 3.3 | 9 |
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| December | 105 | 4.1 | 12 |
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| Year | 680 | 26.8 | 82 |
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Winter, from December to March, is quite cold: the average temperature in January is around 6 °C (43 °F). In winter, there are mild periods, but also cold periods, during which the temperature remains a few degrees above freezing (0 °C or 32 °F) even during the day, and a cold rain can fall, or even snow. In fact, snowfalls are not so rare, and occur more than once almost every year, accompanied by frosts, usually not intense. This chance of cold weather and snow is due to the proximity to the Balkan Peninsula, which cools down a lot in winter. During the most intense cold spells, the temperature typically drops to -8/-9 °C (16/17 °f), though the coldest record is -14 °C (7 °F), set in January 1963.
March is usually quite cold and is often still a wintery month. The most abundant snowfall occurred on March 3, 1987, with 63 cm (24.8 in). In February 2015, snow reached 75 cm (29.5 in) in the nearby town of Çatalca, which belongs to the metropolitan municipality of Istanbul.
Spring, in April and May, is mild, with sunny days becoming quickly more frequent, while the rains become rarer. However, it can still be cold in April, and there may be sudden changes in temperature, especially in the first half of the month.
Summer, from June to August, is hot and sunny, and also quite sultry; the heat is felt especially within the city, while a relieving breeze blows from the sea. The average temperature in August, which is, albeit slightly, the warmest month, is of almost 26 °C (79 °F). However, during the warmest months, July and August, and more rarely in June, the temperature can sometimes reach 35/37 °C (95/99 °F). The highest record is 40.5 °C (104.9 °F) and was set in August 1970.
The sky is mostly clear, although we can not exclude some downpours or thunderstorms, generally not intense.
Autumn, from September to November, is initially warm and often sunny in September, but as the weeks pass, the weather fronts of Atlantic origin gradually become more frequent: there are on average 5 days with rainfall in September, 7 in October and 9 in November.
The amount of sunshine in Istanbul is scarce in winter, when cloudy skies prevail, and sometimes fog can form, while it is very good in summer, when sunshine prevails. On average, there are 2,200 hours of sunshine per year. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.
Istanbul - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
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January | 2.5 | 70 | February | 3 | 90 | March | 4.5 | 135 | April | 6 | 180 | May | 8 | 250 | June | 10 | 300 | July | 10.5 | 320 | August | 9.5 | 295 | September | 8 | 245 | October | 5.5 | 165 | November | 3.5 | 100 | December | 2 | 70 | Year | 6.1 | 2220 |
The sea in Istanbul, very cold in winter, becomes warm enough for swimming in July and August, while it is still very cool in June, and all in all, it's still acceptable in September, as can be seen in the following table.
Istanbul - Sea temperature| Month | Celsius (°C) | Fahrenheit (°F) |
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January | 8.5 | 47 | February | 7.5 | 46 | March | 8 | 46 | April | 10.5 | 51 | May | 15.5 | 60 | June | 20.5 | 69 | July | 23.5 | 74 | August | 24.5 | 76 | September | 22.5 | 72 | October | 19 | 66 | November | 14.5 | 58 | December | 11 | 52 | Year | 15.5 | 59.9 |
Best Time
The best times to visit Istanbul are spring and autumn, in particular, the months of May, June, and September. September is an interesting month, especially in the first half, since it's usually pleasant and with little rain, and the sea is still warm enough. In July and August, at certain times, the heat is acceptable, while at other times, it can be intense.
Istanbul - Weather by month
Based on the period 1991-2020
In January, the coldest month of the year, the weather in Istanbul is usually quite cold. The average temperature is of 6.2 °C (43 °F), with a minimum of 3.3 °C (38 °F) and a maximum of 9 °C (48.1 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -3.5 °C (26 °F). However, it dropped to -6.8 °C (19.8 °F) in January 2000.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 15.5 °C (60 °F). However, it reached 18.8 °C (65.8 °F) in January 1998.
Precipitation amounts to 60 mm (2.4 in), distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 2.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 24% of the time.
The average humidity is 77%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 17 kph (11 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 8.5 °C (47.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
In February, the weather in Istanbul is usually quite cold. The average temperature is of 6.5 °C (44 °F), with a minimum of 3.4 °C (38.1 °F) and a maximum of 9.7 °C (49.4 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -2.5 °C (27.5 °F). However, it dropped to -7 °C (19.4 °F) in February 2004.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 17 °C (62.5 °F). However, it reached 19.4 °C (66.9 °F) in February 2004.
Precipitation amounts to 65 mm (2.6 in), distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 3 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 29% of the time.
The average humidity is 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 17 kph (11 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 7.5 °C (45.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
In March, the weather in Istanbul is usually mild. The average temperature is of 8.7 °C (48 °F), with a minimum of 5.1 °C (41.2 °F) and a maximum of 12.3 °C (54.1 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 0 °C (32 °F). However, it dropped to -3.4 °C (25.9 °F) in March 2018.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 21 °C (69.5 °F). However, it reached 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) in March 2013.
Precipitation amounts to 70 mm (2.8 in), distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 36% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 16 kph (10 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 8 °C (46 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
In April, the weather in Istanbul is usually mild. The average temperature is of 12.7 °C (55 °F), with a minimum of 8.4 °C (47.1 °F) and a maximum of 16.9 °C (62.5 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 3.5 °C (38 °F). However, it dropped to -1.4 °C (29.5 °F) in April 1997.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 25.5 °C (77.5 °F). However, it reached 29.6 °C (85.3 °F) in April 2018.
Precipitation amounts to 55 mm (2.2 in), distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 45% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is 14 kph (9 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 10.5 °C (50.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
In May, the weather in Istanbul is usually very mild. The average temperature is of 17.9 °C (64 °F), with a minimum of 13.7 °C (56.6 °F) and a maximum of 22.1 °C (71.7 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 8 °C (47 °F). However, it dropped to 4.8 °C (40.6 °F) in May 1994.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 29 °C (84 °F). However, it reached 33 °C (91.4 °F) in May 2019.
Precipitation amounts to 35 mm (1.4 in), distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 56% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is 14 kph (9 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 15.5 °C (59.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
In June, the weather in Istanbul is usually warm to hot. The average temperature is of 22.8 °C (73 °F), with a minimum of 18.5 °C (65.3 °F) and a maximum of 27 °C (80.6 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 14.5 °C (58 °F). However, it dropped to 8.6 °C (47.5 °F) in June 1997.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 33 °C (91.5 °F). However, it reached 38.9 °C (102 °F) in June 2007.
Precipitation amounts to 25 mm (1 in), distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 5 minutes. So the days are long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 10 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 66% of the time.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is 15 kph (9 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 20.5 °C (69.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is cool for swimming.
In July, the weather in Istanbul is usually warm to hot. The average temperature is of 25.5 °C (78 °F), with a minimum of 21.3 °C (70.3 °F) and a maximum of 29.7 °C (85.5 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 17.5 °C (63.5 °F). However, it dropped to 13.6 °C (56.5 °F) in July 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 34 °C (93.5 °F). However, it reached 40 °C (104 °F) in July 2000.
Precipitation amounts to 25 mm (1 in), distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 50 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 10.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 70% of the time.
The average humidity is 62%.
The average wind speed is 17 kph (11 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 23.5 °C (74.5 °F). Therefore, the sea can be considered barely acceptable for swimming.
In August, the hottest month of the year, the weather in Istanbul is usually warm to hot. The average temperature is of 25.8 °C (79 °F), with a minimum of 21.8 °C (71.2 °F) and a maximum of 29.9 °C (85.8 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 18 °C (64 °F). However, it dropped to 15 °C (59 °F) in August 1991.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 34.5 °C (94.5 °F). However, it reached 39.2 °C (102.6 °F) in August 2002.
Precipitation amounts to 40 mm (1.6 in), distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 70% of the time.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is 18 kph (11 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 24.5 °C (76.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.
In September, the weather in Istanbul is usually warm. The average temperature is of 21.8 °C (71 °F), with a minimum of 17.8 °C (64 °F) and a maximum of 25.7 °C (78.3 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 12.5 °C (55 °F). However, it dropped to 9.2 °C (48.6 °F) in September 1997.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 31.5 °C (88.5 °F). However, it reached 37 °C (98.6 °F) in September 2017.
Precipitation amounts to 40 mm (1.6 in), distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 65% of the time.
The average humidity is 66%.
The average wind speed is 16 kph (10 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 22.5 °C (72.5 °F). Therefore, the sea can be considered barely acceptable for swimming.
In October, the weather in Istanbul is usually very mild. The average temperature is of 17.1 °C (63 °F), with a minimum of 13.7 °C (56.6 °F) and a maximum of 20.5 °C (68.9 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 7.5 °C (46 °F). However, it dropped to 4 °C (39.2 °F) in October 2003.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 27 °C (80.5 °F). However, it reached 31.6 °C (88.9 °F) in October 1992.
Precipitation amounts to 80 mm (3.1 in), distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 5 minutes.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 48% of the time.
The average humidity is 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 15 kph (9 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 19 °C (66 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cool for swimming.
In November, the weather in Istanbul is usually mild. The average temperature is of 12.2 °C (54 °F), with a minimum of 9 °C (48.1 °F) and a maximum of 15.5 °C (59.9 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 3 °C (37 °F). However, it dropped to -1.7 °C (28.9 °F) in November 2004.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 22 °C (71.5 °F). However, it reached 27.2 °C (81 °F) in November 2003.
Precipitation amounts to 85 mm (3.3 in), distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 34% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 15 kph (9 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 14.5 °C (58 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
In December, the weather in Istanbul is usually quite mild. The average temperature is of 8.1 °C (47 °F), with a minimum of 5.3 °C (41.5 °F) and a maximum of 11 °C (51.7 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -1 °C (30.5 °F). However, it dropped to -4.7 °C (23.5 °F) in December 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 17 °C (63 °F). However, it reached 22.5 °C (72.5 °F) in December 2010.
Precipitation amounts to 105 mm (4.1 in), distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 20 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 2 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 24% of the time.
The average humidity is 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 18 kph (11 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 11 °C (51.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
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