Ash Shāmīyah weather in December

In December, Ash Shāmīyah sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 16 mm of rain across 2.7 wet days and about 9.9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 18°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 06 min at the start of December to 9 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Ash Shāmīyah's 12th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ash Shāmīyah's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
11th warmest
Overnight low
2nd coldest
Rainfall
16 mm
2.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 54 min
7:00 AM – 4:55 PM
Cloud cover
36%
12th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
3.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.7
out of 10

Ash Shāmīyah is city.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 18°C by the end.

A typical December day in Ash Shāmīyah reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 9°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12210
22210
32110
42110
52110
62110
72110
8219
9209
10209
11209
12209
13209
14209
15199
16199
17198
18198
19198
20198
21198
22198
23198
24198
25198
26198
27198
28188
29188
30188
31188

How December really feels in Ash Shāmīyah

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Ash Shāmīyah weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan18° / 203.310.17.2
Feb21° / 132.410.88.1
Mar26° / 13°122.311.88.3
Apr32° / 18°102.512.84.8
May39° / 24°50.713.61.0
Jun43° / 28°00140.0
Jul46° / 30°0013.90.0
Aug46° / 30°0013.20.0
Sep42° / 26°0012.20.0
Oct36° / 21°30.811.23.0
Nov26° / 14°172.310.48.1
Dec20° / 162.79.97.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 28%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17426
27327
37327
47228
57327
67327
77327
87228
97228
107327
117327
127327
137426
147327
157327
167327
177327
187327
197228
207228
217228
227228
237129
247129
257129
267030
277030
287030
297030
306931
316931

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Ash Shāmīyah gets around 16 mm of rain over 2.7 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 9% and peaks near 10% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
18
28
38
48
58
68
78
88
99
109
119
129
139
149
159
169
179
189
199
209
219
229
239
249
259
269
279
289
299
3010
3110

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19361
29361
39361
49550
59550
69640
79640
89730
99730
109730
119820
129820
139820
149820
159820
169910
179910
189910
199910
209910
219910
229910
239910
249910
259910
269910
279910
289910
299910
309910
319910

Wind in December

Winds average 10 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 06 min at the start of December to 9 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:50 AM to 7:07 AM, and sunset from 4:53 PM to 5:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.16:504:53
210.06:504:53
310.06:514:53
410.06:524:53
510.06:534:53
610.06:534:53
710.06:544:53
810.06:554:53
910.06:564:54
1010.06:564:54
1110.06:574:54
129.96:584:54
139.96:584:54
149.96:594:55
159.97:004:55
169.97:004:55
179.97:014:56
189.97:014:56
199.97:024:56
209.97:024:57
219.97:034:57
229.97:034:58
239.97:044:58
249.97:044:59
259.97:054:59
269.97:055:00
279.97:055:00
289.97:065:01
299.97:065:02
309.97:065:02
319.97:075:03

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.1 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.1 kWh/m² to a high of 7.79 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 3.1 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.3Moderate
23.2Moderate
33.2Moderate
43.2Moderate
53.2Moderate
63.2Moderate
73.2Moderate
83.1Moderate
93.1Moderate
103.1Moderate
113.1Moderate
123.1Moderate
133.1Moderate
143.1Moderate
153.1Moderate
163.1Moderate
173.1Moderate
183.1Moderate
193.1Moderate
203.1Moderate
213.1Moderate
223.1Moderate
233.1Moderate
243.1Moderate
253.1Moderate
263.1Moderate
273.1Moderate
283.1Moderate
293.1Moderate
303.1Moderate
313.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Ash Shāmīyah

In seasonPeak

None of Ash Shāmīyah's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Ash Shāmīyah sees seasonal dust haze (March–October), heaviest in May.

Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Ash Shāmīyah?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

7.7
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
3.8
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Ash Shāmīyah for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Ash Shāmīyah in December

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

In December, Ash Shāmīyah sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 9°C. Little to plan around — just the basics.

UV index in Ash Shāmīyah in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Ash Shāmīyah peaks around June 14 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 12 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highModerateHighModerateJun 14UV 10Jan 12UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep4Moderate
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Ash Shāmīyah in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Ash Shāmīyah is worst in May — around 77 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyMay 1376 µg/m³Jul 2260 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan68Unhealthy
Feb68Unhealthy
Mar73Unhealthy
Apr72Unhealthy
May77Unhealthy
Jun64Unhealthy
Jul60Unhealthy
Aug61Unhealthy
Sep65Unhealthy
Oct70Unhealthy
Nov63Unhealthy
Dec70Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Ash Shāmīyah?

Ash Shāmīyah sits at 32.0°N, 44.6°E, 23 m above sea level, in Iraq. The nearest listed city is Kufa, 18 km away.

Al Hillah

Topography around Ash Shāmīyah

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ash Shāmīyah has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 12 m around an average of 21 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 22 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 186 m.

The land around Ash Shāmīyah is covered by cropland (45%) and trees (26%) within 3 km, cropland (62%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (52%) and cropland (41%) within 80 km.

3 km
12 m
16 km
22 m
80 km
186 m
treesshrubscroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Kufa 18 km · Al Mishkhāb 20 km · Nahiyat Ghammas 24 km · Najaf 25 km · Al Diwaniyah 31 km · Al-Qāsim 38 km · Nāḩiyat ash Shināfīyah 42 km · Al Hillah 58 km

Iraq travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 38% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,410
2025
Happiness
5.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
60%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
9.5
per 100k, 2013
Road deaths
27.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 406
Religion
Christian 1%

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 Ash Shāmīyah (31.9626°, 44.6007°, elevation 23 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. 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).