Climate and average weather in Āq Qalā
In Āq Qalā, the summers are humid, sweltering, fairly dry, and clear and the winters are cool, snowy, and mostly clear.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Āq Qalā typically varies from 4°C to 34°C, and is rarely below -0°C or above 39°C. August is the hottest month of the year, while January is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best times of year to visit Āq Qalā for warm-weather activities are from late March to late May and late September to mid November.
- Hottest
- Aug
- 34°
- Coldest
- Jan
- 4°
- Wettest
- Nov
- 75 mm
- Driest
- Jun
- 18 mm
- Rain / yr
- 580 mm
- 84 wet days
- Daylight
- 9.5–14.5 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- -13 m
- 37.0°N
- Clearest
- Aug
- 21% cloud
Āq Qalā is city in Golestan Province, Iran.
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Āq Qalā weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around late March to late May.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Āq Qalā, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
The hot season lasts 4.1 months, from May 26 to September 27, with daily high temperatures above 29°C. The hottest month of the year in Āq Qalā is August, with an average high of 34°C and low of 25°C.
The cool season lasts 3.6 months, from November 25 to March 15, with daily high temperatures below 17°C. The coldest month of the year in Āq Qalā is January, with an average low of 4°C and high of 13°C.
Days typically run about 9°C warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 13 | 14 | 17 | 22 | 27 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 31 | 26 | 19 | 15 |
| Avg low (°C) | 4 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 16 | 10 | 6 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | 4 |
| Feb | 14 | 5 |
| Mar | 17 | 8 |
| Apr | 22 | 13 |
| May | 27 | 18 |
| Jun | 32 | 22 |
| Jul | 34 | 25 |
| Aug | 34 | 25 |
| Sep | 31 | 21 |
| Oct | 26 | 16 |
| Nov | 19 | 10 |
| Dec | 15 | 6 |
How hot and cold Āq Qalā really feels
The felt-temperature range through the year — heat index on the day's high (summer humidity), wind chill on the night's low (winter wind). The dashed lines are the plain thermometer; the gap is how much hotter or colder it really feels.
On the hottest afternoons, once humidity is folded in, Āq Qalā feels like about 38°C (around August 2). About 98 days a year carry some heat stress, peaking in August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels-like high (°C) | 13 | 14 | 17 | 22 | 27 | 33 | 37 | 37 | 32 | 26 | 19 | 15 |
| Air high (°C) | 13 | 14 | 17 | 22 | 27 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 31 | 26 | 19 | 15 |
| Feels-like low (°C) | 3 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| Air low (°C) | 4 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 16 | 10 | 6 |
| Feels-like high (°C) | Air high (°C) | Feels-like low (°C) | Air low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | 13 | 3 | 4 |
| Feb | 14 | 14 | 4 | 5 |
| Mar | 17 | 17 | 7 | 8 |
| Apr | 22 | 22 | 13 | 13 |
| May | 27 | 27 | 18 | 18 |
| Jun | 33 | 32 | 22 | 22 |
| Jul | 37 | 34 | 24 | 25 |
| Aug | 37 | 34 | 25 | 25 |
| Sep | 32 | 31 | 21 | 21 |
| Oct | 26 | 26 | 15 | 16 |
| Nov | 19 | 19 | 10 | 10 |
| Dec | 15 | 15 | 5 | 6 |
Average hourly temperature in Āq Qalā
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on August afternoons, near 34°C, and coldest before dawn in January, near 4°C.
Āq Qalā weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13° / 4° | 65 | 9.1 | 0.6 | 9.7 | 3.9 |
| Feb | 14° / 5° | 72 | 9.5 | 1.3 | 10.6 | 4.2 |
| Mar | 17° / 8° | 74 | 10.4 | 0.2 | 11.7 | 5.6 |
| Apr | 22° / 13° | 56 | 8.6 | 0 | 12.9 | 7.0 |
| May | 27° / 18° | 36 | 5.8 | 0 | 14 | 6.9 |
| Jun | 32° / 22° | 18 | 3.4 | 0 | 14.5 | 5.1 |
| Jul | 34° / 25° | 19 | 4.6 | 0 | 14.3 | 3.8 |
| Aug | 34° / 25° | 18 | 4.1 | 0 | 13.4 | 3.5 |
| Sep | 31° / 21° | 36 | 5.6 | 0 | 12.3 | 5.2 |
| Oct | 26° / 16° | 54 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 7.7 |
| Nov | 19° / 10° | 75 | 8.5 | 0.2 | 10 | 6.5 |
| Dec | 15° / 6° | 58 | 8.5 | 0.2 | 9.5 | 4.7 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Āq Qalā gets about 580 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is some rain, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 6.1 months, from around Nov 1 to May 6, peaking in March at about 36% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jun 14.
November is the wettest month by volume, with 75 mm over about 9 wet days; June is the driest, with 18 mm. Some of the cold-season precipitation falls as snow.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 30 | 33 | 33 | 29 | 19 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 21 | 28 | 28 |
| Rain days | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 9 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30 | 9 |
| Feb | 33 | 10 |
| Mar | 33 | 10 |
| Apr | 29 | 9 |
| May | 19 | 6 |
| Jun | 12 | 3 |
| Jul | 14 | 5 |
| Aug | 14 | 4 |
| Sep | 18 | 6 |
| Oct | 21 | 6 |
| Nov | 28 | 9 |
| Dec | 28 | 9 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Āq Qalā collects about 580 mm of rain across 84 wet days — roughly 48 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. November is the wettest month with 75 mm, while June is the driest at just 18 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 38% of the year’s total, and some of the cold-season precipitation falls as snow.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 65 | 72 | 74 | 56 | 36 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 36 | 54 | 75 | 58 |
| Rain days | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 9 |
| Snow days | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | Snow days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65 | 9 | 1 |
| Feb | 72 | 10 | 1 |
| Mar | 74 | 10 | 0 |
| Apr | 56 | 9 | 0 |
| May | 36 | 6 | 0 |
| Jun | 18 | 3 | 0 |
| Jul | 19 | 5 | 0 |
| Aug | 18 | 4 | 0 |
| Sep | 36 | 6 | 0 |
| Oct | 54 | 6 | 0 |
| Nov | 75 | 9 | 0 |
| Dec | 58 | 9 | 0 |
Snow in Āq Qalā
Average snowy days through the year, the snow-season span, and estimated snowfall — for ski trips and the perennial 'will there be snow at Christmas?' question.
Āq Qalā averages about 3 snowy days a year. Snow season runs roughly Jan 17 to Feb 27 — about 1.4 months.
February is snowiest, with roughly 1.3 day of snow and an estimated 6 cm of snowfall. Over the year that adds up to an estimated 10 cm of snow.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snow days | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Snowfall (cm) | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Snow days | Snowfall (cm) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | 1 |
| Feb | 1 | 6 |
| Mar | 0 | 1 |
| Apr | 0 | 0 |
| May | 0 | 0 |
| Jun | 0 | 0 |
| Jul | 0 | 0 |
| Aug | 0 | 0 |
| Sep | 0 | 0 |
| Oct | 0 | 0 |
| Nov | 0 | 1 |
| Dec | 0 | 1 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Āq Qalā, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around May 19 and lasts for 5.4 months, ending around October 29. The clearest month is August, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 90% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around October 30 and lasts for 6.6 months, ending around May 18. The cloudiest month is March, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 50% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 57 | 53 | 50 | 53 | 66 | 85 | 86 | 90 | 87 | 76 | 61 | 58 |
| Cloudier (%) | 43 | 47 | 50 | 47 | 34 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 24 | 39 | 42 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57 | 43 |
| Feb | 53 | 47 |
| Mar | 50 | 50 |
| Apr | 53 | 47 |
| May | 66 | 34 |
| Jun | 85 | 15 |
| Jul | 86 | 14 |
| Aug | 90 | 10 |
| Sep | 87 | 13 |
| Oct | 76 | 24 |
| Nov | 61 | 39 |
| Dec | 58 | 42 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around June 8, brings about 14 h 30 min of light; the shortest, around January 1, only 9 h 30 min — a swing of roughly 5 hours.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.6 | 11.7 | 12.9 | 14.0 | 14.5 | 14.3 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 11.0 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 7:10 | 6:49 | 6:11 | 5:24 | 4:49 | 4:37 | 4:49 | 5:13 | 5:40 | 6:06 | 6:38 | 7:04 |
| Sunset (PM) | 4:53 | 5:24 | 5:53 | 6:21 | 6:48 | 7:08 | 7:07 | 6:39 | 5:53 | 5:08 | 4:37 | 4:32 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9.7 | 7:10 | 4:53 |
| Feb | 10.6 | 6:49 | 5:24 |
| Mar | 11.7 | 6:11 | 5:53 |
| Apr | 12.9 | 5:24 | 6:21 |
| May | 14.0 | 4:49 | 6:48 |
| Jun | 14.5 | 4:37 | 7:08 |
| Jul | 14.3 | 4:49 | 7:07 |
| Aug | 13.4 | 5:13 | 6:39 |
| Sep | 12.3 | 5:40 | 5:53 |
| Oct | 11.0 | 6:06 | 5:08 |
| Nov | 10.0 | 6:38 | 4:37 |
| Dec | 9.5 | 7:04 | 4:32 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Āq Qalā averages about 17 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 11 and 24 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 5.2 months, from around May 22 to Oct 27. The sunniest month is August, with roughly 24 sunny days (brilliant).
The greyest month is March, down near 11 sunny days — about 53% fewer than the August peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 14 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 14 |
| Sky | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Bright | Bright | Bright | Brilliant | Brilliant | Bright | Mixed | Mixed |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Mixed |
| Feb | 11 | Mixed |
| Mar | 12 | Mixed |
| Apr | 11 | Mixed |
| May | 15 | Bright |
| Jun | 22 | Bright |
| Jul | 23 | Bright |
| Aug | 25 | Brilliant |
| Sep | 23 | Brilliant |
| Oct | 20 | Bright |
| Nov | 15 | Mixed |
| Dec | 14 | Mixed |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Āq Qalā, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 5.0 months, from around May 7 to October 6. The muggiest month is July, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 93% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around October 7 to May 6, and March is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 100% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 100 | 100 | 98 | 68 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 53 | 90 | 100 |
| Comfortable (%) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 33 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 26 | 8 | 0 |
| Humid (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 40 | 28 | 9 | 15 | 23 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 42 | 33 | 27 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Oppressive (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 42 | 35 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Miserable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | Miserable (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr | 68 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 16 | 33 | 40 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun | 3 | 10 | 28 | 42 | 16 | 1 |
| Jul | 1 | 6 | 9 | 33 | 42 | 8 |
| Aug | 5 | 8 | 15 | 27 | 35 | 10 |
| Sep | 15 | 13 | 23 | 30 | 18 | 1 |
| Oct | 53 | 26 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Nov | 90 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Wind in Āq Qalā is steady company: average speeds sit near 6 km/h — calm — in every month of the year, with no meaningful windy or calm season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | calm |
| Feb | 6 | calm |
| Mar | 6 | calm |
| Apr | 6 | calm |
| May | 6 | calm |
| Jun | 7 | calm |
| Jul | 7 | calm |
| Aug | 6 | calm |
| Sep | 6 | calm |
| Oct | 5 | calm |
| Nov | 5 | calm |
| Dec | 5 | calm |
Best time to visit Āq Qalā
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Āq Qalā throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around early April, Āq Qalā is still near the start of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds not yet at full swing.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best times of year to visit Āq Qalā for general outdoor tourist activities run from late March to late May and again from late September to mid November, with a peak score in the third week of October.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 3.9 | 4.2 | 5.6 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 5.1 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 7.6 | 6.5 | 4.7 |
| Rating | fair | fair | good | good | good | fair | fair | fair | fair | ideal | good | fair |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.9 | fair |
| Feb | 4.2 | fair |
| Mar | 5.6 | good |
| Apr | 7.0 | good |
| May | 6.9 | good |
| Jun | 5.1 | fair |
| Jul | 3.8 | fair |
| Aug | 3.5 | fair |
| Sep | 5.3 | fair |
| Oct | 7.6 | ideal |
| Nov | 6.5 | good |
| Dec | 4.7 | fair |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Āq Qalā for hot-weather activities is from early May to late October, with a peak score in the last week of May.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Āq Qalā, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around August (highs near 34°C), the essentials are light clothes and sun protection. In the cold season around January (highs near 13°C), pack a warm layer and rain gear.
In August, Āq Qalā sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Āq Qalā
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 53 km away) is warmest in August at about 29°C and coldest in February near 11°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from May 13 to Nov 6 — about 5.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 12 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 21 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 23 | 19 | 15 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Warm | Refreshing | Cool | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Bracing |
| Feb | 11 | Bracing |
| Mar | 12 | Bracing |
| Apr | 16 | Cool |
| May | 21 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 25 | Warm |
| Jul | 28 | Warm |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 27 | Warm |
| Oct | 23 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 19 | Cool |
| Dec | 15 | Bracing |
UV index (midday) in Āq Qalā by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Āq Qalā peaks around July 18 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 7 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 6 | High |
| Oct | 4 | Moderate |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Moderate |
Average hourly UV index in Āq Qalā
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in July the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 5.5 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 0 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 6 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.5 | 4 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 2.5 | 0 |
| Mar | 4.5 | 0 |
| Apr | 6 | 1 |
| May | 7.5 | 3.5 |
| Jun | 7.5 | 4 |
| Jul | 8.5 | 5.5 |
| Aug | 7.5 | 4.5 |
| Sep | 6 | 1.5 |
| Oct | 4 | 0 |
| Nov | 0 | 0 |
| Dec | 0 | 0 |
Air quality in Āq Qalā by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Āq Qalā is worst in September — around 27 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 19 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 27 | 24 | 21 | 19 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | Moderate |
| Feb | 20 | Moderate |
| Mar | 22 | Moderate |
| Apr | 25 | Moderate |
| May | 22 | Moderate |
| Jun | 20 | Moderate |
| Jul | 21 | Moderate |
| Aug | 22 | Moderate |
| Sep | 27 | Moderate |
| Oct | 24 | Moderate |
| Nov | 21 | Moderate |
| Dec | 19 | Moderate |
Growing season
Āq Qalā is mild enough that a frost-free day stays more likely than not even in midwinter. Nights are reliably above freezing from about February 7 to January 29 (357 days); outside that window a hard frost is an occasional risk.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 92 | 93 | 99 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 97 |
| Frost nights | 9 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 92 | 9 |
| Feb | 93 | 12 |
| Mar | 99 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 97 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Āq Qalā banks about 3,361 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 0 | 3 | 85 | 221 | 385 | 505 | 593 | 604 | 489 | 330 | 132 | 12 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 3 |
| Mar | 85 |
| Apr | 221 |
| May | 385 |
| Jun | 505 |
| Jul | 593 |
| Aug | 604 |
| Sep | 489 |
| Oct | 330 |
| Nov | 132 |
| Dec | 12 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Āq Qalā receives about 4.5 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 2.2 and 6.6 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.1 months, from around Mar 25 to Sep 25. The brightest month is June, averaging about 6.5 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is December, down near 2.3 kWh/m² — roughly 65% less than the June peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 2.5 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.3 | 6.0 | 4.9 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Bright | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.5 | Moderate |
| Feb | 3.3 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4.2 | Bright |
| Apr | 5.2 | Bright |
| May | 6.0 | Bright |
| Jun | 6.5 | Intense |
| Jul | 6.3 | Intense |
| Aug | 6.0 | Intense |
| Sep | 4.9 | Bright |
| Oct | 3.8 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2.6 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2.3 | Moderate |
Where is Āq Qalā?
Āq Qalā sits at 37.0°N, 54.5°E, -13 m above sea level, in Iran. The nearest listed city is Gorgān, 19 km away.
Topography around Āq Qalā
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Āq Qalā.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Āq Qalā has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 12 m around an average of -15 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 104 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,905 m.
The land around Āq Qalā is covered by cropland (63%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 3 km, cropland (89%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (28%) and cropland (24%) within 80 km.
Iran travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 4
- Do Not Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / F
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 352% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $3,924
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.2 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 94%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 2.4
- per 100k, 2014
- Road deaths
- 21.5
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 492
- Religion
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 Āq Qalā (37.0139°, 54.455°, elevation -13 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).