The climate in Ankara, Turkey’s capital located in the northwest but still fairly central, is temperate and semi-arid with four pronounced seasons. Given the capital’s elevation and inland location on the eastern edge of the Anatolian Plateau, its seasons are more extreme than in the port city of Istanbul. Ankara’s winters are relatively cold, with temperatures going as low as 26°F (-3°C) in January and regular night frosts throughout the season. Its clear, dry summers – the heat made more comfortable by low humidity – can reach 88°F (31°C) in July and August. Summer evenings drop by as much as 18°F (10°C) from afternoon highs, offering welcome relief.
Most precipitation in Ankara comes in the form of winter snow, which can linger for days or even weeks, and spring rain, particularly from April through May, and the dry season runs from late June through September.