Tirana, the capital of Albania, sits on a plain in the west-centre of the country, about 30 km inland from the Adriatic coast and backed by the hills and mountains of the interior, at approximately 41.33°N, 19.82°E. It has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) with a slightly continental edge from its inland position — hot, dry summers and mild, very wet winters — with abundant sunshine and heavy cool-season rainfall.

Summer, from June to September, is hot, dry and sunny, with July and August the hottest months — average highs around 31–32°C and occasional hot spells reaching the high 30s or, rarely, 40°C. The inland setting makes it a little hotter by day and cooler at night than the coast, and rain is scarce for months. Long, settled sunny spells make it the driest, brightest time of year, though the odd thundery downpour can break the heat.

Winter, from December to February, is mild but wet, with January the coolest month — average highs around 12°C and lows near 2–4°C, occasionally dipping toward freezing on clear nights. Snow is rare in the city but blankets the surrounding mountains. This is the heart of the rainy season, when Atlantic and Mediterranean systems bring frequent, sometimes heavy rain and the occasional cold snap from continental air.

Tirana is quite wet, receiving on the order of 1,200–1,300 mm of rain a year — heavy by Mediterranean standards — concentrated in the cool months from October to March, with a late-autumn and winter maximum, while July and August are nearly dry. The surrounding hills wring extra rain from incoming weather systems. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Tirana's weather reflects its position where moist Mediterranean air meets the rising terrain of the Albanian interior, which lifts that air to produce heavy cool-season rainfall and frequent winter thunderstorms. The warm, dry southerly Sirocco occasionally blows in from the Sahara, bringing spells of oppressive warmth and, at times, fine dust, most often in autumn and spring, while summer and early autumn are the most settled seasons.

To follow any single measurement in Tirana more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.