Weather Antalya , Turkey
Antalya is one of the most popular tourist holiday destinations in Turkey, located on the southern coast of the country in between the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. The resort is situated on a clifftop overlooking the sea and due to its close proximity to the Taurus mountain range, it's protected from cold northerly winds, which help keep temperatures warm throughout the year.
Within Antalya you'll find some of the Mediterranean's cleanest beaches, making it the perfect holiday destination for travellers who love to relax and sunbathe. The resort also boasts palm-lined promenades, a historic castle and a stylish marina which have led to the region becoming well known as the Turkish Riviera.
Antalya enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate, with just two major seasons instead of the usual four long, hot and dry summers and much shorter, milder winters. Throughout the year, temperatures typically range between 5°C and 34°C. On average, there are 300 days of uninterrupted sunshine each year and very few days of rainfall only 77 across the entire year. The winter sees the vast majority of the rainfall, with summer remaining mostly dry, with warm to high temperatures and loads of sunshine.
Spring
Spring in Antalya sees the ending of the chilly and wet winter and the beginning of the long hot summer days. The average high temperature in March is 18°C with lows dropping down to 7°C overnight, whilst April experiences highs of 21°C and lows of 10°C. This is a sure sign that summer is starting.
Rainfall is on the decrease, starting to leave behind the rainy winter days in preparation for the dry summer ones. On average Antalya sees 80mm of rain per month in Spring, spread over nine wet days in March and eight in April, meaning the odds are increasing for you to encounter less and less rain on your holiday as the year progresses. Sunshine remains fairly consistent throughout the year, but spring sees the start of the sunniest days in Antalya, with 12 glorious hours of sunshine each day.
Sea temperatures are really too chilly to be enjoyed during the spring, so indoor and heated swimming pools are recommended for those wishing to take a dip. The average surface temperatures are 17°C in March, rising slightly in April to 18°C.
Summer
Antalya enjoys a long summer, spilling over into the latter end of Spring and the start of Autumn. During summer, the average temperature begins at 20°C in May, before it jumps up to 25°C in June. The average temperature peaks at 28°C in July (the hottest month of the year for Antalya) and then gradually cools down as the season progresses, dropping down to 27°C in August and 25°C in September.
Average highs in the summer months range from lows of 26°C in May up to sizzling highs of 34°C in July. Average lows, on the other hand, range from lows of 10°C in May up to 21°C in July and August. With such a huge difference between the daytime and evening temperatures, you'll need to pack a good variety of clothes to ensure you keep comfortable, whatever the weather.
Whichever month you visit, you'll easily get away with light and airy beach clothing during the daytime. If you visit between June and September, you'll be comfortable in equally summery clothing of an evening, but if you plan to go to Antalya in May you might want to think about packing warmer clothes, such as jeans and jackets, since the evenings can get chilly especially when there is a cold sea breeze.
In Antalya, daily sunshine hours stay fairly constant throughout the year, although spring and the start of the summer are still the sunniest time to visit. Between March and June, the resort boasts 12 hours of sunshine every single day, dropping down slightly to 11 hours from July onwards for the rest of the summer. With such a high number of sunshine hours throughout the season, you're almost guaranteed to get clear blue skies and oodles of sunshine for the most of your summer holiday in Antalya. Such a high concentration of sunshine makes it really easy to get sunburn or heatstroke, so try and stay out of direct sunshine during the hottest part of the day 11am to 3pm slap on the sun cream and drink loads of water.
Unlike the average sunshine hours, the average sea temperature in Antalya varies widely throughout the year. The sea is hottest in August, when it's a bath-like 29°C, whilst the coolest time in summer is May, when it's just 21°C, more than warm enough for a dip.
As you'd expect for summer in Turkey, Antalya sees almost no rainfall for the majority of the season. Between June and September, the resort is subject to just 10mm of rainfall each month. The start of the summer season is slightly wetter with May seeing around 20mm of precipitation. When it rains in Antalya in summer, it's usually in the form of thunderstorms which result in intense rainfall.
Autumn
Autumn sees the start of the wet period in Antalya. Rainfall increases drastically across the two months, rising from 90mm in October to 180mm across November, the joint second wettest month of the year. It is therefore important when planning your trip to pack an umbrella or poncho and check the weather forecast before planning your daily activities, such as visiting the stunning nearby Duden Waterfalls.
Daily temperatures are turning away from the scorching summer highs, and are now a far more comfortable 15°C-20°C with daily highs reaching up to an average of 20°C-26°C. Night time lows are becoming rather chilly now, falling to 14°C in October and just 9°C in November, a sure sign that the colder winter nights are fast approaching.
Seas temperatures however are still warm enough for swimming at this time, especially towards the front end of autumn. October sees average water temperatures of 25°C, dropping to 21°C in November. This is the last part of the year when swimming in the sea is really an option as the sea temperatures won't reach acceptable levels again until the start of summer.
Winter
Winter weather in Antalya is much briefer than that of summer, clearing up in early spring. December, January, and February see an average temperature of a cool 12°C dropping down further to 10°C in January the coldest month of the year for the resort before rising slightly in February to 11°C. At this time of year, average highs range between a pleasant 15°C and 16°C, whilst average lows drop considerably down to a cold 5°C and 7°C. So whilst you can spend the days by the pool, you'll need to pack winter warmers to keep you comfortable if you plan to venture out after dark.
Winter is the wettest season for Antalya, when the resort sees a huge amount of rainfall on around 1/3 of days. December is the wettest month of the season, when 210mm of precipitation falls over 12 wet days. After this, rainfall gradually subsides down to 180mm in January and 130mm in February. When precipitation occurs in Antalya in winter, it will most commonly be in the form of thunderstorms which are followed by light rainfall. Although rainfall during thunderstorms is usually short and heavy, the light rainfall showers can go on for hours, so make sure you plan some rainy day activities if you're visiting Antalya in winter.
Thankfully, as soon as the rain stops, the sun is usually back out and shining. Antalya enjoys a huge amount of sunshine hours throughout the year and the winter season is no exception. December and January see ten daily hours of sunshine each, whilst February sees 11. With such a high amount of sunshine, it's very unlikely for Antalya to get fully overcast days even in winter. Whilst you might get a light covering of clouds for a couple of hours during the day, you're almost guaranteed to see more sunshine overall than cloud.
Despite the weather being so sunny, you might not get to enjoy a full day at the beach during your winter holiday in Antalya. The sea is a mild 19°C in December, which most people will find borderline warm enough for swimming. However, this drops down to 18°C in January and 17°C in February and March. Anything below 19°C is widely regarded as being on the chilly side for swimming, so you might be better off sticking to indoor and heated swimming pools if you really want to go for a swim in Antalya in winter.
Weather Hazards
Antalya is not known for having hazardous weather. The only thing to look out for is the high temperatures and bright sunlight, especially in the long summer. Make sure to observe good sun protection by wearing plenty of sun cream, reapplied throughout the day, and drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. You do not want your holiday ruined by sunburn or heatstroke. The highest temperature ever registered in Antalya over the last four decades was 44.6°C. Despite this being an all-time high, excessive temperatures in the 40s are not uncommon in Antalya in the summer. When the resort is affected by heatwaves as it often is during the summer temperatures can creep up into the early 40s. Even though these maximum temperatures are harsh, the cool sea breeze which blows through the resort is particularly refreshing and the soft westerly wind known locally as the 'Dokkun' that blows through the resort toward the coast in the evenings helps make the scorching summer temperatures that little bit more bearable.