Most of Iraq has a hot arid climate with subtropical influence. Summer temperatures average above  for most of the country and frequently exceed . Winter temperatures infrequently exceed  with maxima roughly  and night-time lows . Typically, precipitation is low; most places receive less than  annually, with maximum rainfall occurring during the winter months. Rainfall during the summer is extremely rare, except in the far north of the country. The northern mountainous regions have cold winters with occasional heavy snows, sometimes causing extensive flooding.