Samarra
City in Iraq
Located 108 km from Baghdad, Samarra is a city in Iraq with a population of approximately 140,400 as of 2015. Visitors travel here to see the Great Mosque of Samarra and the Al-Askari Shrine.
What to see
The city features the Great Mosque of Samarra and the Al-Askari Shrine. Other sites include the Abu Dulaf Mosque and Qasr al-'Ashiq.
When to go
The weather is mildest from November through April. During these months, daily highs range from 14 °C in January to 29 °C in April. The summer months of June, July, and August are very hot, with daily highs reaching between 41 °C and 44 °C and almost no rainfall. Rainfall is generally low throughout the year, with the wettest months being January, February, March, and December, each seeing about 4 to 6 days of rain.
Getting there
The nearest airport is Baghdad International Airport / New Al Muthana Air Base, located 109 km away.
Top sights in Samarra
Weather by month
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 44 °C. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 14 | 17 | 22 | 29 | 36 | 41 | 44 | 43 | 39 | 32 | 22 | 16 |
| Average low, °C | 4 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 22 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 25 | 19 | 11 | 6 |
| Rainfall, mm | 32 | 30 | 27 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 26 | 28 |
| Rainy days | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Samarra (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
Also worth a look
- Abu Dulaf Mosque
- Qasr al-'Ashiq