Karbala in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Karbala sees average daytime highs around 31°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 26 mm of rain over about 5 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 2nd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 23°C in early March to 40°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 71% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels dry.
Spring is Karbala's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Karbala's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 31°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 18°C
- Rainfall
- 26 mm
- 5 wet days
- Avg wind
- 14 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.4
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Karbala in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 23°C in early March to 40°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Karbala reaches about 31°C and drops to 18°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is May, the coolest March.
How spring really feels in Karbala
Once humidity and wind are folded in, spring brings about 41 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in spring is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Karbala weather by month
How the three spring months (March, April and May) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16° / 7° | 20 | 4.1 | 10.1 | 6.3 |
| Feb | 19° / 9° | 15 | 3 | 10.8 | 7.6 |
| Mar | 25° / 13° | 13 | 2.5 | 11.8 | 8.6 |
| Apr | 31° / 18° | 11 | 2.3 | 12.8 | 5.7 |
| May | 37° / 24° | 3 | 0.6 | 13.7 | 1.8 |
| Jun | 42° / 28° | 0 | 0 | 14.1 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 44° / 30° | 0 | 0 | 13.9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 44° / 29° | 0 | 0 | 13.2 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 41° / 26° | 0 | 0 | 12.2 | 0.3 |
| Oct | 34° / 20° | 4 | 0.9 | 11.2 | 4.0 |
| Nov | 24° / 13° | 19 | 2.9 | 10.3 | 8.3 |
| Dec | 18° / 8° | 17 | 3.1 | 9.9 | 7.1 |
Cloud cover in Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 71% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Karbala gets around 26 mm of rain over 5 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 14 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min in early March to 14 hours by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 6.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Karbala
In spring, Karbala overlaps its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Karbala sees seasonal dust haze (March–October), heaviest in May.
Is spring a good time to visit Karbala?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring is a reasonable time to visit Karbala for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Karbala in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Karbala sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 5 days see rain.
UV index in Karbala in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Karbala peaks around June 15 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 12 at about 3 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Moderate | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | High |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 7 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 5 | Moderate |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 4 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3 | Moderate |
Air quality in Karbala in Spring
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where spring falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Karbala is worst in May — around 77 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 68 | 68 | 73 | 72 | 77 | 64 | 60 | 61 | 65 | 70 | 63 | 70 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 73 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 72 | Unhealthy |
| May | 77 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 64 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 60 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 61 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 65 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 70 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 63 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 70 | Unhealthy |
Where is Karbala?
Karbala sits at 32.6°N, 44.0°E, 32 m above sea level, in Iraq. The nearest listed city is Al Hindīyah, 20 km away.
Topography around Karbala
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Karbala.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Karbala has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 19 m around an average of 32 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 57 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 178 m.
The land around Karbala is covered by artificial surfaces (76%) within 3 km, bare terrain (49%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (59%) and cropland (28%) within 80 km.
Iraq travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 4
- Do Not Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / D / G
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 38% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $5,410
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.2 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 60%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 9.5
- per 100k, 2013
- Road deaths
- 27.3
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 406
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Karbala (32.616°, 44.0249°, elevation 32 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.