Iraq weather by month

In Baghdad, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows moderate seasonal variation over the course of the year.

The clearer part of the year begins around May 16 and lasts for 5.1 months, ending around October 16. The clearest month is July, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 100% of the time on average.

The cloudier part of the year begins around October 17 and lasts for 6.9 months, ending around May 15. The cloudiest month is December, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 29% of the time.

This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.

Across the year, average wind speed in Baghdad is typically light breeze, near 13 km/h, and varies moderately with the seasons.

The windier part of the year lasts 4.4 months, from around May 9 to Sep 18. The windiest month is July, averaging about 17 km/h (light breeze).

The calmer part of the year runs from around Sep 19 to May 8, with November the calmest month at about 10 km/h.

Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.

Baghdad receives about 5.6 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 2.9 and 7.9 kWh/m².

The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.4 months, from around Mar 19 to Sep 28. The brightest month is June, averaging about 7.8 kWh/m² (intense).

The dimmest month is December, down near 2.9 kWh/m² — roughly 62% less than the June peak.