Libya Climate
Top 5 Cities: Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata, Bayda, and Zawiya
This month in numbers
Libya experienced its 22nd warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 23.43°C, marking an anomaly of +0.9°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The period of February–April 2026 was the 7th warmest on record for Libya, with an average temperature of 19.64°C, a significant +1.8°C above the baseline. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1.1°C, while the February–April 2026 period also ranked as the 2nd warmest globally for land temperatures, at +1.2°C above the baseline.
What changed
Libya's recent warmth aligns with a long-term warming trend, as the country's average annual temperature has risen by +1.50°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The year 2025 was the 2nd warmest on record for Libya, with an average temperature of 23.92°C. The country is currently experiencing a drought event that began in January 2026 and continued through May, representing 100% of the drought events logged for Libya over the past 12 months, indicating an unusual concentration. This ongoing drought is impacting agricultural conditions, with concerns remaining due to early season rainfall deficits.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth and drought conditions in Libya are influenced by a combination of factors. The current ENSO state is Neutral, with an anomaly of +0.11°C, though forecasts indicate a likely transition to El Niño in the coming months, with a 61% probability for May-July and 79% for June-August. Libya is also experiencing the effects of , where arid regions warm faster due to the inability of dry soils to cool through evaporation. This is exacerbated by a discernible shift in Libya's overall climate pattern, leading to extreme drought conditions. Western Libya, in particular, is facing intensifying drought, declining rainfall, and rising temperatures, with over 68,000 km² under drought stress. This has led to failed crops and drying wells, impacting livelihoods.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Libya
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 Libya changing?
Libya 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 Libya come from?
Climate data for Libya 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 Libya climate data cover?
The Libya climate profile covers Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata, Bayda and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Libya
How often is the Libya climate update refreshed?
The Libya 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.