Atyrau weather in December

In December, Atyrau sees average daytime highs of -1°C and overnight lows near -5°C, with 16 mm of precipitation across 4.3 wet days and about 8.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 0°C in the first days to -2°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 14% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 36 min at the start of December to 8 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Atyrau's 11th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Atyrau's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-1°
10th warmest
Overnight low
-5°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
16 mm
4.3 wet days
Daylight
8 h 18 min
9:19 AM – 5:38 PM
Cloud cover
77%
11th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
0.99 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Atyrau is city in Kazakhstan.

Founded
1640

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 0°C in the first days to -2°C by the end.

A typical December day in Atyrau reaches about -1°C in the afternoon and slips back to -5°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -7°C and 4°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

-15°-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11-4
21-4
30-4
40-4
50-4
60-4
70-4
80-5
9-1-5
10-1-5
11-1-5
12-1-5
13-1-5
14-1-5
15-1-5
16-1-5
17-1-5
18-1-6
19-2-6
20-2-6
21-2-6
22-2-6
23-2-6
24-2-6
25-2-6
26-2-6
27-2-6
28-2-6
29-2-6
30-2-6
31-2-7

How December really feels in Atyrau

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 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
31
30 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Atyrau weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -8°164.94.58.70.0
Feb-2° / -8°133.23100.0
Mar / -2°1641.711.60.6
Apr15° / 224.60.113.35.1
May24° / 15°245.1014.87.7
Jun29° / 20°143.5015.66.4
Jul32° / 23°112.8015.35.0
Aug30° / 21°71.60146.3
Sep23° / 14°92.3012.48.2
Oct14° / 173.80.110.64.9
Nov / -0°1641.29.10.5
Dec-1° / -5°164.33.58.40.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 14% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 77%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33070
43070
53070
62971
72971
82773
92674
102476
112476
122278
132278
142179
152080
161981
171981
181882
191882
201981
211981
221882
231882
241882
251882
261882
271882
281981
291981
301981
311981

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Atyrau gets around 16 mm of rain and snow over 4.3 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 14% and peaks near 15% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1137
2127
3127
4127
5128
6128
7128
8129
9129
101210
111210
121211
131311
141312
151312
161413
171413
181413
191414
201514
211514
221514
231514
241514
251514
261513
271513
281513
291513
301513
311513

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 20 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120light breeze
220light breeze
320light breeze
420light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720light breeze
820breezy
920breezy
1020breezy
1120breezy
1220breezy
1320breezy
1420breezy
1520breezy
1620breezy
1720breezy
1820breezy
1920breezy
2020breezy
2120breezy
2220breezy
2320light breeze
2420light breeze
2520light breeze
2620light breeze
2720light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 36 min at the start of December to 8 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 9:05 AM to 9:25 AM, and sunset from 5:40 PM to 5:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.69:055:40
28.69:065:39
38.59:075:39
48.59:085:38
58.59:095:38
68.59:105:38
78.49:115:38
88.49:125:38
98.49:135:38
108.49:145:38
118.49:155:37
128.49:165:38
138.39:175:38
148.39:185:38
158.39:185:38
168.39:195:38
178.39:205:38
188.39:215:39
198.39:215:39
208.39:225:39
218.39:225:40
228.39:235:40
238.39:235:41
248.39:245:41
258.39:245:42
268.39:245:42
278.39:255:43
288.39:255:44
298.39:255:44
308.39:255:45
318.39:255:46

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 0.99 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.99 kWh/m² to a high of 6.8 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 0.99 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.1Dim
21.1Dim
31.1Dim
41.1Dim
51.1Dim
61.1Dim
71.1Dim
81.0Dim
91.0Dim
101.0Dim
111.0Dim
121.0Dim
131.0Dim
141.0Dim
151.0Dim
161.0Dim
171.0Dim
181.0Dim
191.0Dim
201.0Dim
211.0Dim
221.0Dim
231.0Dim
241.0Dim
251.0Dim
261.0Dim
271.0Dim
281.0Dim
291.0Dim
301.0Dim
311.0Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Atyrau?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Atyrau.

What to pack for Atyrau in December

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

In December, Atyrau sees daytime highs around -1°C and nights near -5°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 4 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coata windbreaker

Sea temperature near Atyrau in December

The nearest coast averages about 2°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 26 km away) is warmest in July at about 26°C and coldest in February near 0°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 28 to Sep 13 — about 3.6 months when the water holds above 20°C.

0°10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan1Bracing
Feb0Bracing
Mar2Bracing
Apr9Bracing
May18Cool
Jun24Refreshing
Jul26Warm
Aug25Warm
Sep20Cool
Oct13Bracing
Nov6Bracing
Dec2Bracing

UV index in Atyrau in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Atyrau peaks around July 13 at about 7 (high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 6 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowJul 13UV 7Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May6High
Jun6High
Jul7High
Aug6High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Atyrau 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 Atyrau is worst in April — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (January, 13 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateApr 1326 µg/m³Jan 1513 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar23Moderate
Apr26Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Atyrau?

Atyrau sits at 47.1°N, 51.9°E, -19 m above sea level, in Kazakhstan. The nearest listed city is Balykshi, 4.0 km away.

ShalkarAstrakhanKamyzyakKharabaliMangistauAktau

Topography around Atyrau

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Atyrau has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 14 m around an average of -23 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 17 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 23 m.

The land around Atyrau is covered by artificial surfaces (82%) within 3 km, grassland (68%) within 16 km, and grassland (55%) and water (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
14 m
16 km
17 m
80 km
23 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Balykshi 4.0 km · Qulsary 163 km · Shalkar 247 km · Astrakhan 305 km · Kamyzyak 311 km · Kharabali 351 km · Mangistau 382 km · Aktau 387 km

Kazakhstan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$14,692
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
92%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2.6
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 417
Religion
Muslim 69%Christian 17%non-believers 2%Buddhism 0%

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 Atyrau (47.1048°, 51.8843°, elevation -19 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).