Iraq Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah
This month in numbers
Iraq experienced its 7th warmest June on record, with an average temperature of 34.24°C, marking an anomaly of +2.5°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The three-month period from April to June 2026 was the 3rd warmest on record, with an average temperature of 29.7°C, a significant +3.1°C above the baseline. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June for land temperatures, and the April-June period ranked as the 2nd warmest on record for global land temperatures.
What changed
The past three months have seen Iraq experiencing significantly warmer conditions, ranking 20th globally for its 3-month temperature anomaly. This trend is considerably warmer than the average for the wider Asia region, with Iraq's June anomaly being 0.97°C warmer than its group average. The country has been grappling with a severe heatwave throughout June, with temperatures in several governorates, including Basra, Maysan, Dhi Qar, Najaf, and Babil, reaching close to 50°C. This heatwave has also impacted the Kurdistan Region, with temperatures projected to climb 3 to 5 degrees Celsius above historical seasonal averages, peaking around June 22nd.
What’s driving change?
The extreme heat experienced in Iraq during June is largely driven by a combination of factors, including the and . The region's arid climate means that dry soils are less able to cool themselves through evaporation, intensifying heatwaves. Additionally, the summer solstice, which occurred on June 21st, contributes to more direct solar radiation in the Northern Hemisphere, further exacerbating the high temperatures. Iraq also experienced significant flooding in northern and western regions due to heavy rains in late June, with thunderstorms peaking around June 29th. This follows a massive dust storm that blanketed cities like Baghdad and Najaf in a thick orange haze in mid-May, drastically reducing visibility.
Looking ahead
The Iraqi Meteorological Organization has warned that the country is expected to experience an exceptionally harsh summer, with temperatures potentially exceeding 50 degrees Celsius in some regions during July and August.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Iraq
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Iraq – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – Iraq
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen BWh · AridIraq has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±12.9°C) and a wet/dry cycle (36× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly rainfall climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Jan (-5 mm, -15%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean. Small figure: the actual value. Rank: position in the full record (1st = highest ever). Record: highest (or lowest) value on record with its year.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Iraq
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Iraq changing?
Iraq is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Iraq come from?
Climate data for Iraq comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Iraq climate data cover?
The Iraq climate profile covers Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Erbil and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Iraq
How often is the Iraq climate update refreshed?
The Iraq climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.