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Climate in Istanbul (Turkey)


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours

Flag - Turkey

Istanbul, where it is


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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.

Precipitation amounts to 680 millimeters (26.7 inches) per year; the wettest months are November and December.

Istanbul

Winter, from December to March, is quite cold: the average temperature in January is around 6 °C (43 °F). In this season, 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.

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.

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 - Climate data


In Istanbul, the average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of 6.2 °C, that of the warmest month (August) is of 25.8 °C. Here are the average temperatures.
Istanbul - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
Temperatures (°C)
MonthMinMaxMean
January3.396.2
February3.49.76.5
March5.112.38.7
April8.416.912.7
May13.722.117.9
June18.52722.8
July21.329.725.5
August21.829.925.8
September17.825.721.8
October13.720.517.1
November915.512.2
December5.3118.1
Year11.819.215.45

Precipitation amounts to 680 millimeters per year: so, it is at an intermediate level. It ranges from 25 millimeters in the driest months (June, July) to 105 millimeters in the wettest one (December). Here is the average precipitation.
Istanbul - Average precipitation
MonthRain (mm)Days
January609
February659
March708
April558
May355
June254
July253
August403
September405
October807
November859
December10512
Year68082

The sea temperature ranges from 7.5 °C in February to 24.5 °C in August. Here are the average sea temperatures.
Istanbul - Sea temperature
MonthTemperatures (°C)
January8.5
February7.5
March8
April10.5
May15.5
June20.5
July23.5
August24.5
September22.5
October19
November14.5">
December11
Year15.5

There are on average around 2220 sunshine hours per year. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.
Istanbul - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January2.570
February390
March4.5135
April6180
May8250
June10300
July10.5320
August9.5295
September8245
October5.5165
November3.5100
December270
Year6.12220

Istanbul - Weather by month

Based on the period 1991-2020
(January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December)


January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of 6.2 °C, with a minimum of 3.3 °C and a maximum of 9 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -3.5 °C. However, it dropped to -6.8 °C in January 2000.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 15.5 °C. However, it reached 18.8 °C in January 1998.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 60 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 35 minutes.
Sun iconThere 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 of 17.3 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 8.5 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.


February is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of 6.5 °C, with a minimum of 3.4 °C and a maximum of 9.7 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -2.5 °C. However, it dropped to -7 °C in February 2004.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 17 °C. However, it reached 19.4 °C in February 2004.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 65 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 40 minutes.
Sun iconThere 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 of 17.1 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 7.5 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.


March is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of 8.7 °C, with a minimum of 5.1 °C and a maximum of 12.3 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 0 °C. However, it dropped to -3.4 °C in March 2018.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 21 °C. However, it reached 25.1 °C in March 2013.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 70 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
Sun iconThere 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 of 16 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 7.9 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.


April is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of 12.7 °C, with a minimum of 8.4 °C and a maximum of 16.9 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 3.5 °C. However, it dropped to -1.4 °C in April 1997.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 25.5 °C. However, it reached 29.6 °C in April 2018.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 55 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 25 minutes.
Sun iconThere 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 of 14.3 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 10.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.


May is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of 17.9 °C, with a minimum of 13.7 °C and a maximum of 22.1 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 8 °C. However, it dropped to 4.8 °C in May 1994.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 29 °C. However, it reached 33 °C in May 2019.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 35 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are long.
Sun iconThere 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 of 14.1 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 15.3 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.


June is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of 22.8 °C, with a minimum of 18.5 °C and a maximum of 27 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 14.5 °C. However, it dropped to 8.6 °C in June 1997.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 33 °C. However, it reached 38.9 °C in June 2007.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 25 mm, 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.
Sun iconThere 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 of 14.7 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 20.7 °C. Therefore, the sea is cool for swimming.


July is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of 25.5 °C, with a minimum of 21.3 °C and a maximum of 29.7 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 17.5 °C. However, it dropped to 13.6 °C in July 1993.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 34 °C. However, it reached 40 °C in July 2000.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 25 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 50 minutes. So the days are long.
Sun iconThere 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 of 17.1 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 23.6 °C. Therefore, the sea can be considered barely acceptable for swimming.


August, the hottest month of the year, is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of 25.8 °C, with a minimum of 21.8 °C and a maximum of 29.9 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 18 °C. However, it dropped to 15 °C in August 1991.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 34.5 °C. However, it reached 39.2 °C in August 2002.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 40 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 40 minutes.
Sun iconThere 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 of 17.8 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 24.6 °C. Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.


September is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of 21.8 °C, with a minimum of 17.8 °C and a maximum of 25.7 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 12.5 °C. However, it dropped to 9.2 °C in September 1997.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 31.5 °C. However, it reached 37 °C in September 2017.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 40 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 25 minutes.
Sun iconThere 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 of 15.6 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 22.5 °C. Therefore, the sea can be considered barely acceptable for swimming.


October is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of 17.1 °C, with a minimum of 13.7 °C and a maximum of 20.5 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 7.5 °C. However, it dropped to 4 °C in October 2003.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 27 °C. However, it reached 31.6 °C in October 1992.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 80 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 5 minutes.
Sun iconThere 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 of 15.2 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 18.8 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cool for swimming.


November is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of 12.2 °C, with a minimum of 9 °C and a maximum of 15.5 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 3 °C. However, it dropped to -1.7 °C in November 2004.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 22 °C. However, it reached 27.2 °C in November 2003.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 85 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 55 minutes.
Sun iconThere 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 of 15.2 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 14.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.


December is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of 8.1 °C, with a minimum of 5.3 °C and a maximum of 11 °C.
Cold thermometer iconOn the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -1 °C. However, it dropped to -4.7 °C in December 1992.
Warm thermometer iconOn the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 17 °C. However, it reached 22.5 °C in December 2010.
Rain iconPrecipitation amounts to 105 mm, 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.
Sun iconThere 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 of 17.7 kph.
Sea iconThe average sea temperature is of 10.9 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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