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Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, sits on the Absheron Peninsula on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, at around 28 metres below sea level — among the lowest-lying capitals in the world — at approximately 40.41°N, 49.87°E. It has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) — hot, dry summers and cool winters — and is famously windy, its exposed peninsula setting swept year-round by strong Caspian winds.
Summer, from June to August, is hot, dry and sunny, with July and August the warmest months — average highs around 30–31°C — and hot spells that can exceed 35°C or even 40°C. The frequent winds and Caspian sea breeze take some of the edge off the heat, and rain is very scarce, with the summer effectively the dry season. Clear, sunny skies dominate the warm months.
Winter, from December to February, is cool rather than severe, with January the coldest month — average highs around 8°C and lows near 3°C — kept relatively mild by the Caspian, though the strong Khazri wind sharpens the feeling of cold. Snow and frost occur but are usually brief, and hard freezes below -7°C are rare. This is the wetter, if still not very rainy, part of the year.
Baku is dry, receiving only around 220–250 mm of precipitation a year, one of the lowest totals of any capital, with a spring and autumn emphasis and a nearly rainless summer. The exposed peninsula and the descending, drying winds keep the air arid. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.
Wind is Baku's defining feature — its very name is often linked to the winds, and it is nicknamed the 'City of Winds'. Two dominate: the cold, dry northerly Khazri, which can blow fiercely and sharpen winter cold, and the warmer southerly Gilavar. The exposed Absheron Peninsula and the vast Caspian shape a climate that is arid, breezy and sunny, with the sea moderating the temperature extremes.
To follow any single measurement in Baku 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.