Libya Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata, Bayda, and Zawiya
Summary
Libya experienced its 5th warmest July on record as average temperatures reached 31.58°C, standing 2.2°C above the 1961-1990 baseline. The blistering conditions culminated in extreme heatwaves across the north and west, pushing maximum temperatures to a scorching 50°C in Aziziya. The intense demand for air conditioning severely strained the nation's fragile electricity grid, causing widespread power outages lasting up to 14 hours per day and triggering public protests over collapsing services, with sweltering weather expected to persist through late summer.
This month in numbers
July 2026 registered an average temperature of 31.58°C, sitting 2.2°C above the 1961-1990 baseline and ranking as the 5th warmest on record since 1940. The all-time benchmark for the month remains 32.23°C, recorded in 2002. Globally, land temperatures averaged 15.8°C during the month, standing 1.6°C above baseline to mark the 3rd warmest July worldwide.
What changed
During May to July 2026, temperatures averaged 29.74°C across the country, sitting 1.3°C above average to mark the 10th warmest such three-month stretch on record. Globally, the same period ranked as the 2nd warmest May-July in recorded history at 14.34°C. This elevated warmth aligns with Libya's long-term climate trajectory, which has warmed by 1.58°C above the 1961-1990 average, building on a top-ten warm year in 2025.
What’s driving change?
The severe heat in North Africa was heavily influenced by , where persistent high-pressure systems trap scorching air over the region for extended periods. This thermal trapping is exacerbated by , as Libya's hyper-arid ground lacks soil moisture to evaporate and provide natural cooling, converting incoming solar radiation directly into heat.
Looking ahead
Seasonal climate models indicate that above-average temperatures are likely to persist across North Africa into early autumn, keeping thermal stress elevated across desert and coastal zones.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Libya
Köppen BWh · AridLibya has a arid climate (Köppen BWh: Hot desert), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 31.2°C, while January is the coldest at 12.2°C. Annual precipitation averages around 46mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly precipitation.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Libya
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Libya
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Libya
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Libya
Latest month is provisional and may be revised by the data provider in the next update cycle.
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Libya
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen BWh · AridLibya has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±9.4°C) and a wet/dry cycle (30× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly precipitation climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Jan (-22 mm, -74%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
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.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
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 headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Libya?
Libya has a arid climate (Köppen BWh: Hot desert), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 31.2°C, while January is the coldest at 12.2°C. Annual precipitation averages around 46mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
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.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Libya climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Libya climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.