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ChrisO CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons

Opis

Archaeological Site

Ancient Mesopotamian city on the Tigris plain; visited by those interested in Near Eastern archaeology for its ruins and historical significance.

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In this guide

Opis essentials

Country: Iraq
Driest months: Jun-Aug
Pay in: Dinar (ع.د)
Language: Arabic, Kurdish

Opis at a Glance

About Opis

Opis was an ancient Mesopotamian town located on the east bank of the Tigris, in the region that is now eastern Iraq.

The site is an archaeological location rather than a developed tourist attraction; it is of interest to historians and archaeologists studying Assyrian, Babylonian and Persian-era Mesopotamia. There are no large visitor facilities at the exposed ruins.

Opis is attested in ancient sources as an important urban center in Mesopotamia and appears in records from the first millennium BCE. It featured in military and political events of the Neo-Babylonian and Achaemenid Persian periods.

The site lies in modern Wasit Governorate, east of the Tigris River and within the broad alluvial plain of central-eastern Iraq, some distance east of present-day Baghdad.

When to Go

Best Time to Visit Opis

Best in the cooler months (October-March) to avoid Iraq's extreme summer heat and to make outdoor exploration feasible.

Cool season
October-March · 5-20°C
Milder temperatures make exploring archaeological remains more comfortable and practical.
Hot season
April-May · 20-35°C
Increasing heat can make daytime visits uncomfortable; start very early if visiting in this period.
Summer (very hot)
June-September · 35-45°C
Extreme heat and high temperatures make outdoor exploration difficult; avoid if possible.

Weather & Climate near Opis

Climate

Opis's climate is classified as Hot Desert - Hot Desert climate with very hot summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 4°C to 44°C. Very dry conditions with minimal rainfall with a pronounced dry season.

Air Quality: AQI 99 Moderate
Best Time to Visit
MayOctoberJune
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
52°
Warmest Month
-5°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions
Month Comfort Temp Feels Rain Sky Humidity Wind UV Daylight
January Very Good 4° - 16° 8° 29 mm some cloud 60% 2.6 m/s 0.5 low 10.1h
February Excellent 6° - 19° 12° 30 mm mostly sunny 56% 3.1 m/s 0.7 moderate 10.9h
March Excellent 10° - 23° 17° 28 mm mostly sunny 47% 3.2 m/s 1.1 high 11.9h
April Ideal 15° - 29° 22° 19 mm some cloud 40% 3.3 m/s 1.5 very high 12.9h
May Ideal 20° - 36° 28° 6 mm mostly sunny 29% 3.1 m/s 2.0 very high 13.8h
June Ideal 24° - 42° 33° 0 mm clear 17% 3.8 m/s 2.5 extreme 14.2h
July Ideal 26° - 44° 35° 0 mm clear 16% 4.0 m/s 2.3 extreme 14.0h
August Ideal 25° - 43° 34° 0 mm clear 16% 3.3 m/s 2.1 extreme 13.2h
September Ideal 22° - 40° 31° 0 mm clear 18% 2.9 m/s 1.6 very high 12.3h
October Ideal 16° - 33° 25° 2 mm mostly sunny 26% 2.3 m/s 1.0 high 11.2h
November Ideal 9° - 24° 17° 19 mm mostly sunny 46% 2.3 m/s 0.6 moderate 10.3h
December Very Good 6° - 18° 12° 29 mm some cloud 57% 2.3 m/s 0.4 low 9.8h