Tripoli in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Tripoli sees average daytime highs around 17°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 198 mm of rain over about 25 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 19°C in early December to 16°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Tripoli's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Tripoli's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 17°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 14°C
- Rainfall
- 198 mm
- 25 wet days
- Avg wind
- 22 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.7
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Tripoli in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 19°C in early December to 16°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Tripoli reaches about 17°C and drops to 14°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
Tripoli 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 | 16° / 13° | 75 | 9.2 | 10.1 | 5.4 |
| Feb | 16° / 13° | 51 | 6.5 | 10.8 | 5.7 |
| Mar | 17° / 14° | 22 | 3.9 | 11.7 | 6.8 |
| Apr | 19° / 16° | 12 | 1.9 | 12.8 | 7.8 |
| May | 22° / 19° | 4 | 0.7 | 13.7 | 8.6 |
| Jun | 24° / 22° | 1 | 0.2 | 14.1 | 9.4 |
| Jul | 27° / 24° | 0 | 0 | 13.9 | 9.2 |
| Aug | 28° / 26° | 1 | 0.2 | 13.2 | 8.6 |
| Sep | 27° / 25° | 10 | 1.7 | 12.2 | 8.4 |
| Oct | 25° / 22° | 26 | 3.9 | 11.2 | 8.2 |
| Nov | 21° / 19° | 51 | 6.8 | 10.3 | 7.4 |
| Dec | 18° / 15° | 72 | 9.4 | 9.9 | 6.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Tripoli gets around 198 mm of rain over 25 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 22 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 3.2 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Tripoli
None of Tripoli's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Tripoli sees seasonal dust haze (March–June), heaviest in April.
Is winter a good time to visit Tripoli?
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 Tripoli for sightseeing.
What to pack for Tripoli in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Tripoli sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 14°C. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and a windbreaker. About 25 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Tripoli in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 18°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 27°C and coldest in February near 16°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from May 26 to Dec 11 — about 6.6 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 20 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17 | Cool |
| Feb | 16 | Cool |
| Mar | 16 | Cool |
| Apr | 17 | Cool |
| May | 19 | Cool |
| Jun | 22 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 25 | Warm |
| Aug | 27 | Warm |
| Sep | 27 | Warm |
| Oct | 25 | Warm |
| Nov | 23 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 20 | Cool |
UV index in Tripoli 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 Tripoli peaks around June 19 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 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 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | High | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 5 | Moderate |
| Mar | 7 | High |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 7 | High |
| Nov | 4 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3 | Moderate |
Air quality in Tripoli 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 Tripoli is worst in April — around 38 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.6× the cleanest month (August, 15 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) | 36 | 35 | 37 | 38 | 28 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 32 | 32 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36 | Poor |
| Feb | 35 | Poor |
| Mar | 37 | Poor |
| Apr | 38 | Poor |
| May | 28 | Moderate |
| Jun | 20 | Moderate |
| Jul | 15 | Moderate |
| Aug | 15 | Moderate |
| Sep | 20 | Moderate |
| Oct | 26 | Moderate |
| Nov | 32 | Moderate |
| Dec | 32 | Moderate |
Where is Tripoli?
Tripoli sits at 32.9°N, 13.2°E, 15 m above sea level, in Libya. The nearest listed city is Tājūrā’, 15 km away.
Topography around Tripoli
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Tripoli.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Tripoli has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 37 m around an average of 11 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 87 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 723 m.
The land around Tripoli is covered by artificial surfaces (62%) and water (27%) within 3 km, water (50%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 16 km, and water (38%) and grassland (32%) 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 Tripoli (32.8874°, 13.1873°, elevation 15 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.