Iraq expected to see strongest rainfall season in decades, forecaster says

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq is forecast to experience an above-average rainfall season this year, potentially one of the wettest periods in recent decades, according to meteorological maps cited by weather observer Ali Jaber Ziyadi. Ziyadi said the El Niño Modoki Super effect would continue through the end of the year, raising humidity levels across the country. He expected low-pressure systems to sweep through Iraq at frequent intervals in October, November and December, bringing heavy rainfall in some areas and cold waves in the middle of winter. Early rains could also begin in some cities in late September, he added. The forecaster drew comparisons to years of abundant rainfall such as the late 1970s and the late 1990s. Global seasonal climate models reported last week that Iraq could see higher rainfall activity in autumn 2026 compared with previous dry seasons.