Iraq weather is characterized by its extremely hot arid summers and cold winters, the influence of the Persian Gulf having a rather limited impact on its patterns. As a general thumb rule, relative humidity is higher nearer to the gulf than in other parts of the country.

Due to the fact that Iraq weather experiences a shortage of rain and intense heat, most of the country is made up of desert. High rates of evaporation cause the soil and plants to lose the little moisture attained from precipitation, thus not allowing plant life to nourish without extensive irrigation. Situated in northeastern Iraq, the Zagros Mountain region is notable for the abundant amount of oak trees, while in the south palm trees dominate the landscape.

The majority of precipitation occurs during the months of November through to April and the winter months December through March. Annual rainfall averages between 100 and 180 mm, the northern mountainous regions occasionally obtaining an abundant amount of precipitation that reaches 1,000 millimeters annually in some areas. Understandably, central or southern desert regions experience much less.

Iraq weather in Summer

Summer weather in Iraq is plagued by extremely hot temperatures; the hottest months are between June to August. Minimum temperatures range from about 27 to 34 °C and mercury rises to sizzling proportions and maximums of between 42 and 47 °C. On occasion temperatures have been recorded as reaching as high as 53 °C in some regions. During the summer months Iraq weather is marked by two kinds of wind phenomena.

The Sharqi winds are southern and southeasterly winds that are dry, dusty and occasionally travel at 80 kilometers per hour. Occurring from April right through to early June and again from mid September to November, these winds often carry  dust storms rising to heights of several thousand meters clouding air traffic and closing airports for short times.

North and northwest prevailing winds called shamal make their presence felt from mid-June to mid-September, bringing with them extremely dry air that causes intense heating of the surface by the sun. On the upside, cooling breezes have some effect on Iraq weather conditions. On occasion thunderstorms are present during summer.

Iraq weather in Winter

Iraq weather during winter (December through March) is predominantly cold and cloudy, temperatures ranging for almost freezing conditions in the northern foothills, to between 3 °C - 16 °C in the western desert and 5 °C and17 °C in southern Iraq. At Ar Rutbah in the western desert temperatures have been recorded as dropping to a freezing −14 °C. The southeast receives the majority of precipitation in winter and early spring and is accompanied by thunderstorms.

Heavy snowfalls in winter are common in the mountainous Kurdish areas of northern Iraq, and averages above 1,500m.

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