Qal‘at Sukkar weather in December

In December, Qal‘at Sukkar sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 10°C, with 24 mm of rain across 3.8 wet days and about 10 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% 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 Qal‘at Sukkar's 12th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Qal‘at Sukkar's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
11th warmest
Overnight low
10°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
24 mm
3.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 54 min
6:54 AM – 4:50 PM
Cloud cover
36%
12th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
3.11 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.6
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 19°C by the end.

A typical December day in Qal‘at Sukkar reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 10°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°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)
12211
22211
32211
42111
52111
62111
72110
82110
92110
102010
112010
122010
132010
142010
152010
16209
17209
18209
19199
20199
21199
22199
23199
24199
25199
26199
27199
28199
29199
30199
31199

How December really feels in Qal‘at Sukkar

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.

Qal‘at Sukkar 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° / 264.210.27.2
Feb21° / 10°16310.88.1
Mar27° / 14°183.111.87.9
Apr33° / 20°152.712.84.3
May40° / 26°40.913.60.7
Jun44° / 30°00140.0
Jul46° / 32°0013.90.0
Aug46° / 32°0013.20.0
Sep43° / 28°0012.20.0
Oct36° / 22°5111.22.6
Nov26° / 15°263.210.47.8
Dec20° / 10°243.8107.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 29%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17426
27327
37327
47327
57228
67228
77228
87228
97228
107228
117228
127228
137327
147228
157228
167228
177228
187129
197129
207129
217129
227129
237030
246931
256931
266832
276832
286832
296832
306832
316832

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Qal‘at Sukkar gets around 24 mm of rain over 3.8 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 13% and peaks near 14% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
114
214
314
414
514
614
714
814
914
1014
1114
1214
1314
1413
1513
1613
1713
1812
1912
2012
2111
2211
2311
2411
2511
2611
2711
2811
2911
3012
3112

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 94% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
187112
287112
387112
488102
588102
68992
78992
89082
99181
109271
119361
129361
139451
149451
159541
169541
179730
189730
199730
209820
219820
229820
239820
249820
259820
269820
279820
289820
299820
309820
319820

Wind in December

Winds average 13 km/h in December, the calmest month.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

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 6:43 AM to 7:01 AM, and sunset from 4:48 PM to 4:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.16:434:48
210.16:444:47
310.06:454:47
410.06:464:47
510.06:474:48
610.06:474:48
710.06:484:48
810.06:494:48
910.06:494:48
1010.06:504:48
1110.06:514:48
1210.06:524:49
139.96:524:49
149.96:534:49
159.96:534:49
169.96:544:50
179.96:554:50
189.96:554:50
199.96:564:51
209.96:564:51
219.96:574:52
229.96:574:52
239.96:584:53
249.96:584:53
259.96:594:54
269.96:594:54
279.96:594:55
289.97:004:55
299.97:004:56
309.97:004:57
319.97:014:57

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.11 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.11 kWh/m² to a high of 7.84 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 3.11 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.3Moderate
23.3Moderate
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 Qal‘at Sukkar

In seasonPeak

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

Qal‘at Sukkar sees seasonal dust haze (February–October), heaviest in May.

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

Is December a good time to visit Qal‘at Sukkar?

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

7.6
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
4.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Qal‘at Sukkar for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Qal‘at Sukkar in December

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

In December, Qal‘at Sukkar sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 10°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 4 days see rain.

UV index in Qal‘at Sukkar in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Qal‘at Sukkar peaks around June 15 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highHighModerateJun 15UV 10Jan 10UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul7High
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Qal‘at Sukkar 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 Qal‘at Sukkar is worst in May — around 74 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorUnhealthyMay 1673 µg/m³Nov 1753 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan58Unhealthy
Feb59Unhealthy
Mar70Unhealthy
Apr71Unhealthy
May74Unhealthy
Jun70Unhealthy
Jul68Unhealthy
Aug66Unhealthy
Sep63Unhealthy
Oct60Unhealthy
Nov52Poor
Dec58Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Qal‘at Sukkar?

Qal‘at Sukkar sits at 31.9°N, 46.1°E, 15 m above sea level, in Iraq. The nearest listed city is Al Ḩayy, 35 km away.

Al-Kut‘Afak‘Alī al GharbīAr RumaythahNasiriyahAs Samawah

Topography around Qal‘at Sukkar

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Qal‘at Sukkar.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Qal‘at Sukkar has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 12 m around an average of 11 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 15 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 25 m.

The land around Qal‘at Sukkar is covered by bare terrain (38%) and cropland (34%) within 3 km, cropland (58%) and bare terrain (34%) within 16 km, and cropland (53%) and bare terrain (41%) within 80 km.

3 km
12 m
16 km
15 m
80 km
25 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Al Ḩayy 35 km · Ash Shaţrah 51 km · Al-Kut 76 km · ‘Afak 81 km · ‘Alī al Gharbī 88 km · Ar Rumaythah 90 km · Nasiriyah 91 km · As Samawah 94 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 Qal‘at Sukkar (31.8632°, 46.0732°, elevation 15 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).