Nīlī in Winter

In winter (December, January and February), Nīlī sees average daytime highs around -2°C and overnight lows near -11°C, with 210 mm of precipitation over about 25 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.

Over the season highs ease from about 4°C in early December to -1°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.

Winter is Nīlī's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Nīlī's year-round climate.

Avg daytime high
-2°C
coldest season of the year
Avg overnight low
-11°C
Precipitation
210 mm
25 wet days
Avg wind
5 km/h
Travel score
0.0
weakest season of the year
Months
Dec · Jan · Feb

Temperature in Nīlī in Winter

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Over the season highs ease from about 4°C in early December to -1°C by late February.

A typical winter day in Nīlī reaches about -2°C and drops to -11°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.

-20°-10°10°DecJanFeb

How winter really feels in Nīlī

Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 90 that feel at or below 0°C.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
90
86 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Nīlī weather by month

How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -13°728.69.2100.0
Feb-3° / -11°919.49.710.70.0
Mar / -6°10611.89.111.70.2
Apr13° / 6810.72.412.83.7
May22° / 297013.77.5
Jun27° / 13°41.3014.28.3
Jul30° / 16°20.20146.7
Aug29° / 16°10.2013.37.3
Sep25° / 11°10.1012.29.3
Oct18° / 91.70.111.27.6
Nov10° / -2°375.53.510.32.5
Dec / -10°476.76.69.80.0

Cloud cover in Winter

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time across winter.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Chance of precipitation in Winter

Any precipitationSnow

Nīlī gets around 210 mm of rain and snow over 25 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

0%10%20%30%40%50%DecJanFeb

Humidity in Winter

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Wind in Winter

Winds average 5 km/h across winter.

0246810DecJanFeb

Sunrise & sunset in Winter

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 54 min in early December to 11 h 12 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AMDecJanFeb

Solar energy in Winter

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 3.9 kWh/m².

0246DecJanFeb
Planning a trip in winter

Is winter a good time to visit Nīlī?

Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.

0.0
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Nīlī.

What to pack for Nīlī in Winter

From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In winter, Nīlī sees daytime highs around -2°C and nights near -11°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 25 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gearsun protection

UV index in Nīlī in Winter

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Nīlī peaks around July 14 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highExtremeVery highModerateJul 14UV 13Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb6High
Mar9Very high
Apr8Very high
May10Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep10Extreme
Oct7High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Nīlī in Winter

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Nīlī is worst in May — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1419 µg/m³Dec 156 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb11Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr17Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Nīlī?

Nīlī sits at 33.7°N, 66.1°E, 2,022 m above sea level, in Afghanistan. The nearest listed city is Bāzār-e Yakāwlang, 137 km away.

Bāzār-e YakāwlangShahrakBāmyānGhazniKandahārSang-e ChārakGereshkBaraki Barak

Topography around Nīlī

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Nīlī.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Nīlī has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,068 m around an average of 2,214 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,443 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,077 m.

The land around Nīlī is covered by bare terrain (62%) within 3 km, bare terrain (65%) and grassland (30%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (55%) and grassland (42%) within 80 km.

3 km
1,068 m
16 km
2,443 m
80 km
3,077 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
Winter weather nearby: Bāzār-e Yakāwlang 137 km · Shahrak 174 km · Bāmyān 198 km · Ghazni 213 km · Kandahār 238 km · Sang-e Chārak 238 km · Gereshk 257 km · Baraki Barak 262 km

Afghanistan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 17% of US
price level, 2024
GDP per capita
$417
2024
Happiness
1.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
31%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
4
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
15.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 446
Religion
Muslim 100%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Nīlī (33.7218°, 66.1302°, elevation 2,022 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.