Baalbek in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Baalbek sees average daytime highs around 7°C and overnight lows near -1°C, with 180 mm of precipitation over about 31 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 7°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Baalbek's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Baalbek's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 7°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- -1°C
- Precipitation
- 180 mm
- 31 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 0.9
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Baalbek in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 7°C.
A typical winter day in Baalbek reaches about 7°C and drops to -1°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Baalbek
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 85 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Baalbek weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6° / -2° | 68 | 11.5 | 8 | 10 | 0.3 |
| Feb | 7° / -1° | 62 | 10.2 | 7.1 | 10.7 | 0.8 |
| Mar | 11° / 2° | 52 | 9.4 | 4 | 11.7 | 2.7 |
| Apr | 16° / 5° | 31 | 7.7 | 0.6 | 12.8 | 5.4 |
| May | 21° / 10° | 24 | 6.1 | 0 | 13.7 | 7.7 |
| Jun | 26° / 14° | 4 | 1.1 | 0 | 14.2 | 9.1 |
| Jul | 29° / 17° | 2 | 0.4 | 0 | 14 | 7.8 |
| Aug | 29° / 17° | 2 | 0.7 | 0 | 13.3 | 7.6 |
| Sep | 26° / 14° | 5 | 1.7 | 0 | 12.2 | 9.0 |
| Oct | 21° / 10° | 20 | 5.4 | 0 | 11.1 | 7.7 |
| Nov | 14° / 5° | 35 | 6.5 | 0.6 | 10.2 | 4.5 |
| Dec | 8° / 0° | 51 | 8.8 | 3.8 | 9.8 | 1.6 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Baalbek gets around 180 mm of rain and snow over 31 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 6 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 9 h 54 min in early December to 11 h 12 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 3.3 kWh/m².
Is winter a good time to visit Baalbek?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Baalbek.
What to pack for Baalbek in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Baalbek sees daytime highs around 7°C and nights near -1°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 31 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Baalbek in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 19°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 56 km away) is warmest in August at about 28°C and coldest in February near 17°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from May 3 to Dec 23 — about 7.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 19 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 23 | 21 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | Cool |
| Feb | 17 | Cool |
| Mar | 17 | Cool |
| Apr | 19 | Cool |
| May | 21 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 25 | Warm |
| Jul | 27 | Warm |
| Aug | 28 | Tropical |
| Sep | 28 | Warm |
| Oct | 26 | Warm |
| Nov | 23 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 21 | Refreshing |
UV index in Baalbek in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Baalbek peaks around June 21 at about 12 (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 — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | High |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 10 | Very high |
| Oct | 7 | High |
| Nov | 5 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3 | Moderate |
Air quality in Baalbek in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Baalbek is worst in November — around 58 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.9× the cleanest month (July, 31 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 52 | 57 | 52 | 54 | 44 | 35 | 31 | 31 | 41 | 51 | 58 | 57 |
| Level | Poor | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | Poor |
| Feb | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 52 | Poor |
| Apr | 54 | Poor |
| May | 44 | Poor |
| Jun | 35 | Poor |
| Jul | 31 | Moderate |
| Aug | 31 | Moderate |
| Sep | 41 | Poor |
| Oct | 51 | Poor |
| Nov | 58 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 57 | Unhealthy |
Where is Baalbek?
Baalbek sits at 34.0°N, 36.2°E, 1,183 m above sea level, in Lebanon. The nearest listed city is Chmistâr, 19 km away.
Topography around Baalbek
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Baalbek.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Baalbek has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 483 m around an average of 1,235 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,505 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,068 m.
The land around Baalbek is covered by grassland (55%) and artificial surfaces (27%) within 3 km, grassland (59%) and cropland (25%) within 16 km, and grassland (36%) and bare terrain (20%) within 80 km.
Lebanon travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 4
- Do Not Travel
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C / D / G
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 38% of US
- price level, 2024
- GDP per capita
- $4,473
- 2024
- Happiness
- 3.7 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 48%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 2.2
- per 100k, 2020
- Road deaths
- 16.4
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 477
- 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 Baalbek (34.0058°, 36.2181°, elevation 1,183 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.