Benghazi in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Benghazi sees average daytime highs around 17°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 112 mm of rain over about 21 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Over the season highs ease from about 20°C in early December to 18°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Benghazi's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Benghazi's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 17°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 13°C
- Rainfall
- 112 mm
- 21 wet days
- Avg wind
- 20 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.1
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Benghazi in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 20°C in early December to 18°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Benghazi reaches about 17°C and drops to 13°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How winter really feels in Benghazi
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Benghazi 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 | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17° / 12° | 39 | 7.6 | 10.1 | 5.8 |
| Feb | 17° / 12° | 30 | 5.6 | 10.8 | 6.1 |
| Mar | 19° / 13° | 15 | 3.4 | 11.8 | 7.4 |
| Apr | 22° / 16° | 4 | 1.1 | 12.8 | 8.5 |
| May | 25° / 19° | 2 | 0.7 | 13.6 | 9.0 |
| Jun | 27° / 22° | 1 | 0.2 | 14.1 | 8.8 |
| Jul | 29° / 24° | 0 | 0 | 13.9 | 7.9 |
| Aug | 30° / 25° | 0 | 0 | 13.2 | 7.3 |
| Sep | 29° / 23° | 2 | 0.5 | 12.2 | 7.8 |
| Oct | 26° / 21° | 11 | 2.1 | 11.2 | 8.5 |
| Nov | 22° / 17° | 17 | 3.6 | 10.4 | 8.0 |
| Dec | 18° / 14° | 43 | 7.6 | 9.9 | 6.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Benghazi gets around 112 mm of rain over 21 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 20 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 hours 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.
Hazard calendar for Benghazi
None of Benghazi's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Benghazi sees seasonal dust haze (April–May), heaviest in April.
Is winter a good time to visit Benghazi?
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 reasonable time to visit Benghazi for sightseeing.
What to pack for Benghazi in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Benghazi sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 13°C. Worth packing: a warm layer and a windbreaker. About 21 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Benghazi 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 18 km away) is warmest in August at about 27°C and coldest in March near 17°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from May 23 to Dec 19 — about 6.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 20 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | Cool |
| Feb | 17 | Cool |
| Mar | 17 | Cool |
| Apr | 18 | Cool |
| May | 19 | Cool |
| Jun | 22 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 25 | Warm |
| Aug | 27 | Warm |
| Sep | 26 | Warm |
| Oct | 25 | Warm |
| Nov | 23 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 20 | Refreshing |
UV index in Benghazi 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 Benghazi peaks around August 12 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 3 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 6 | High |
| Apr | 7 | Very high |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 7 | High |
| Nov | 4 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3 | Moderate |
Air quality in Benghazi 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 Benghazi is worst in April — around 28 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (August, 9 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) | 20 | 25 | 24 | 28 | 19 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 17 | 14 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 | Moderate |
| Feb | 25 | Moderate |
| Mar | 24 | Moderate |
| Apr | 28 | Moderate |
| May | 19 | Moderate |
| Jun | 12 | Good |
| Jul | 9 | Good |
| Aug | 9 | Good |
| Sep | 11 | Good |
| Oct | 16 | Moderate |
| Nov | 17 | Moderate |
| Dec | 14 | Moderate |
Where is Benghazi?
Benghazi sits at 32.1°N, 20.1°E, 3 m above sea level, in Libya. The nearest listed city is Al Abyār, 50 km away.
Topography around Benghazi
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Benghazi.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Benghazi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 23 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 89 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 648 m.
The land around Benghazi is covered by artificial surfaces (48%) and water (33%) within 3 km, water (49%) and grassland (20%) within 16 km, and water (39%) and bare terrain (24%) within 80 km.
Libya travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 4
- Do Not Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / F / L
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 39% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $6,449
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.7 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Road deaths
- 21.3
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 395
- 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 Benghazi (32.1149°, 20.0686°, elevation 3 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.