Istanbul, Turkey: When to Go and Weather

Weather: Istanbul is unusual because its located on two continents. The west is in Europe, while the east is in Asia. The city is located on Turkey's northern coast where the Black Sea meets the Mediterranean Sea, and the temperate climate is characterized by high humidity and wind throughout the year. Though snow can accumulate quickly in winter, the city is fairly dry, especially during the summer months of July and August.

Summer: Windy and warm, Istanbul weather can be either comfortable or sticky in summer. Rainfall is infrequent, so the city receives little relief from hot spells. The average temperature is 80 degrees F and the average monthly rainfall is 0.8 inches.

Fall: Intermittent rain showers and many sunny days make autumn somewhat unpredictable in Istanbul. The average temperature is 68 degrees F and the average monthly rainfall is 3 inches.

Winter: Wet weather and dark clouds bring winter gloom to Istanbul weather during December, January, February, and March. The average temperature is 50 degrees F and the average monthly rainfall is 4.2 inches.

Spring: Early spring is foggy in Istanbul, though the days are often clear by mid-afternoon. The average temperature is 65 degrees F and the average monthly rainfall is 1.8 inches.

Looking for local weather reports in English? Try the Hurriyet Daily News (www.hurriyetdailynews.com).

When to Go: Peak Season
July and August bring huge crowds to Istanbul. Budget airlines offer cheap tickets to the city from all over Europe, and large groups of students and vacationing families arrive for a week or two at a time, filling up hotels and creating congestion at all of the major tourist sites. The weather is comfortably warm and sunny on some days, but when the humidity rises, the city bakes, and many tourists don't find it pleasant to be out and about. Visitors should get an early morning start on sightseeing and allow some free time around lunch for resting in the shade (or air-conditioning.) Even though summer nights can be sticky, they're usually cool enough for outdoor dining and walking.

When to Go: Off Season
Istanbul weather is wet and cold in winter. Storm clouds periodically dump inches of snow over the city, and freezing rain is a common occurrence. But the temperatures don't get too chilly in the city, so precipitation doesn't stick around for long, and the streets can become a mess of melting slush. Hotel rates are significantly lower at this time, except for around the holidays, when plenty of Europeans dash to Istanbul for an unconventional Christmas or New Year's celebration. You'll still run into crowds of foreigners at the major sites, mosques, museums, and churches even though it's technically the off season.

When to Go: Shoulder Season
Spring and fall months, particularly May, September, and October, are ideal times to visit Istanbul. Sure, there are still crowds of tourists at all of the sightseeing attractions - this is a popular destination - but you'll have a better selection of hotels to choose from, and the weather makes walking around the city a lot more pleasant than it is during the sweltering summer. Fall tends to be rainier, especially towards the end of October and start of November, but in general, you'll experience comfortable temperatures in the 70s and relatively infrequent precipitation in and around Istanbul during the shoulder season.

• Thu

   

  Clear

  56  46

• Fri

   

  Mostly Sunny

  59  47

• Sat

   

  Sunny

  63  49

• Sun

   

  Showers

  57  51

• Mon

   

  Partly Cloudy

  60  51

• Tue

   

  Mostly Sunny

  62  51

• Wed

   

  Partly Cloudy

  58  51

Get more information on Istanbul weather.