Istanbul weather by month & the best time to visit
Türkiye · major coastal city · Mediterranean climate
The best time to visit Istanbul is July — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 87/100), with August and June close behind. Istanbul averages about 2,201 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 25°C / 77°F and roughly 26 mm of rain in July.
When is the best time to visit Istanbul?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Istanbul is July, then August and June. The dullest month is January (0/100, 94 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Istanbul?
Istanbul gets a moderate 2,201 hours of sunshine a year. 87 Sunshine Score points separate July (87) from January (0), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #47 of 49 destinations in Türkiye for annual sunshine, below the national median of 2,990 hours. The year's 719 mm of rain spreads fairly evenly across the months, with no pronounced dry season.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | 8° / 46°F | 5° / 41°F | 94 mm | 1 | 10° / 50°F |
| February | 0 | 8° / 46°F | 5° / 41°F | 75 mm | 2 | 9° / 48°F |
| March | 7 | 9° / 48°F | 6° / 43°F | 60 mm | 3 | 9° / 48°F |
| April | 28 | 12° / 54°F | 9° / 48°F | 43 mm | 4 | 13° / 55°F |
| May | 64 | 17° / 63°F | 15° / 59°F | 31 mm | 6 | 16° / 61°F |
| June | 85 | 22° / 72°F | 20° / 68°F | 35 mm | 7 | 23° / 73°F |
| July | 87 | 25° / 77°F | 23° / 73°F | 26 mm | 8 | 27° / 81°F |
| August | 87 | 25° / 77°F | 24° / 75°F | 23 mm | 7 | 27° / 81°F |
| September | 80 | 23° / 73°F | 20° / 68°F | 62 mm | 5 | 25° / 77°F |
| October | 63 | 18° / 64°F | 16° / 61°F | 87 mm | 3 | 20° / 68°F |
| November | 39 | 14° / 57°F | 12° / 54°F | 77 mm | 2 | 16° / 61°F |
| December | 12 | 10° / 50°F | 7° / 45°F | 106 mm | 1 | 13° / 55°F |
Sea temperature in Istanbul by month
The sea off Istanbul is warmest in July at around 27°C / 81°F, and coolest in February at 9°C / 48°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly 4 months a year. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
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Istanbul: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Istanbul?
Istanbul is a major coastal city in Türkiye with a Mediterranean climate — the sea reaches 27°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) about 4 months a year.
How many hours of sunshine does Istanbul get a year?
Istanbul gets about 2,201 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around July.
When is the best time to visit Istanbul?
The sunniest time to visit Istanbul is July, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 87/100 (with August and June close behind). Expect daytime highs around 25°C / 77°F.
What is the least sunny month in Istanbul?
January is the least sunny month in Istanbul, scoring 0/100 with about 94 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Istanbul?
The sea in Istanbul ranges from about 9°C (February) to 27°C (July). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Istanbul?
The typical midday UV index in Istanbul peaks around 8 (very high) in July, easing to about 1 (low) in January. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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