Basra vs Najaf: which is sunnier?
🇮🇶 Iraq vs 🇮🇶 Iraq · 349 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Basra and Najaf are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 3,445 vs 3,445 hours a year. Najaf has the higher Sunshine Score in 3 of 12 months, Basra in 2 (7 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Basra | Najaf | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,445 | 3,445 |
| Sunniest month | February (98/100) | February (97/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 93/100 | 85/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 0/100 | 0/100 |
| Rain / year | 84 mm | 106 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 10 (very high) | 10 (very high) |
Basra vs Najaf month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basra | Najaf | Basra | Najaf | Basra | Najaf | |
| January | 80 | 64 | 18° | 16° | 20 | 20 |
| February | 98 | 97 | 21° | 20° | 11 | 16 |
| March | 98 | 97 | 28° | 26° | 8 | 13 |
| April | 79 | 97 | 34° | 32° | 8 | 13 |
| May | 10 | 30 | 41° | 39° | 2 | 5 |
| June | 0 | 0 | 45° | 44° | 1 | 0 |
| July | 0 | 0 | 47° | 46° | 1 | 0 |
| August | 0 | 0 | 47° | 46° | 0 | 0 |
| September | 0 | 0 | 43° | 42° | 0 | 0 |
| October | 59 | 69 | 36° | 35° | 4 | 8 |
| November | 97 | 96 | 26° | 24° | 13 | 18 |
| December | 97 | 81 | 20° | 18° | 16 | 13 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Basra · Feb even · Mar even · Apr Najaf · May Najaf · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct Najaf · Nov even · Dec Basra.
When to pick which
- November–February: Basra (average score 93/100 vs 85). Daytime highs are similar (21°C vs 20°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Najaf (average score 75/100 vs 62). Basra is the warmer, around 34°C daytime highs vs 32°C.
- June–August: too close to call — Basra averages 0/100, Najaf 0/100. Daytime highs are similar (46°C vs 45°C).
- September–October: Najaf (average score 35/100 vs 30). Daytime highs are similar (40°C vs 39°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Basra weather by month · Najaf weather by month · Best time to visit Iraq.
More comparisons: Basra vs Ahvaz · Basra vs Abadan · Basra vs Kuwait City · Najaf vs Baghdad · Najaf vs Kermanshah · all head-to-heads