Climate of Istanbul

The climate of Istanbul, classified variously as Mediterranean, oceanic, or a transitional climate between the two, is temperate, with cool, frequently rainy, somewhat snowy winters, and warm to hot, moderately dry summers. Strongly influenced by the Sea of Marmara to the south and the Black Sea to the north, it is thoroughly maritime; precipitation is moderately high, fog is frequent, and seasonal lag is noticeable both in winter and in summer. The city is sheltered from both extreme heat and frigid temperatures, with temperatures rarely reaching 33 °C (91 °F) or dipping below −6 °C (21 °F),^[2] and is quite windy year-round.

Precipitation is unevenly distributed, with winter generally experiencing very frequent precipitation, while summers are generally dry, punctuated by infrequent showers. Cloudiness also varies drastically by season; while the city has winters that receive around one fifth of the possible sunshine duration, comparable to cities in northwestern Europe, in summer the city gets considerably more sunshine than most of Western and Central Europe.

Istanbul's climate is rapidly changing due to the combined effects of climate change and the city's urban heat island. Recent data shows an immense increase in daily low temperatures, and some increase in daily highs.