Lebanon Climate
Top 5 Cities: Beirut, Tripoli, Sidon, Tyre, and Zahlé
This month in numbers
Lebanon experienced its 13th warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 14.77°C, an anomaly of +1.9°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The period of February–April 2026 also ranked as the 15th warmest on record, with an average temperature of 10.85°C, marking a +1.4°C anomaly. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with a +1.1°C anomaly, while the February–April period was also the 2nd warmest globally, with a +1.2°C anomaly.
What changed
The past three months in Lebanon have been notably warmer than average, with February–April 2026 ranking among the warmest on record. This trend aligns with the broader regional picture, as Lebanon's 1-month anomaly of +1.93°C places it 110th out of 234 regions globally. The country has experienced an annual mean temperature increase of 0.3°C per decade since 1970, which is well over the global average of 0.15°C. This warming is particularly pronounced in summer and spring.
What’s driving change?
The warming trend in Lebanon is influenced by global climate change, with the country experiencing rising temperatures, declining precipitation, and more frequent extreme weather events. A significant climate driver for the region is the (), which has a dominant influence on surface temperature and precipitation. A positive phase of the NAO is associated with a decline in winter rainfall in Lebanon. In March 2026, the NAO was in a strong positive phase with a value of 2.69, following a positive phase in February as well. Additionally, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently in a Neutral phase, with a +0.11°C anomaly for February-April 2026. However, forecasts indicate a strong likelihood of El Niño conditions developing during the boreal summer and autumn of 2026, which could further influence global temperature and rainfall patterns. Lebanon also experienced a period of unstable weather towards the end of March 2026, with successive low-pressure systems bringing rainfall, thunderstorms, active winds, and snowfall at higher elevations, leading to localised flooding. A dust storm also affected Lebanon in mid-March 2026.
Looking ahead
Forecasts suggest that El Niño conditions are likely to emerge during the boreal summer and autumn of 2026, which could bring warmer land surface temperatures across northern Africa, including Lebanon.
Sources:
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Lebanon
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 Lebanon changing?
Lebanon 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 trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Lebanon come from?
Climate data for Lebanon 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 Lebanon climate data cover?
The Lebanon climate profile covers Beirut, Tripoli, Sidon, Tyre and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Lebanon
How often is the Lebanon climate update refreshed?
The Lebanon 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.