Karatau weather in December

In December, Karatau sees average daytime highs of 3°C and overnight lows near -6°C, with 40 mm of precipitation across 7.6 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 4°C in the first days to 2°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Karatau's 9th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Karatau's year-round climate.

Daytime high
11th warmest
Overnight low
-6°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
40 mm
7.6 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
8:50 AM – 5:39 PM
Cloud cover
61%
9th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
1.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Karatau is place in Jambyl Region, Kazakhstan.

Density
189/km²
people per km²
Founded
1963

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 4°C in the first days to 2°C by the end.

A typical December day in Karatau reaches about 3°C in the afternoon and slips back to -6°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -6°C and 11°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
14-4
24-4
34-5
44-5
54-5
63-5
73-5
83-5
93-5
103-5
113-5
123-5
133-6
143-6
153-6
163-6
172-6
182-6
192-6
202-6
212-6
222-6
232-6
242-6
252-6
262-6
272-6
282-6
292-6
302-6
312-6

How December really feels in Karatau

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
wind chill below the day's low

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

Karatau weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -7°42869.20.0
Feb / -6°478.54.910.20.0
Mar11° / 5710.43.311.62.5
Apr18° / 619.70.713.15.9
May25° / 13°408.5014.47.2
Jun30° / 17°246015.15.7
Jul32° / 19°153.8014.94.9
Aug31° / 17°92.2013.86.0
Sep25° / 12°92012.38.7
Oct18° / 304.70.510.86.6
Nov / -1°457.82.69.51.8
Dec / -6°407.64.78.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 57%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24852
34753
44753
54753
64753
74654
84555
94654
104555
114555
124456
134456
144456
154456
164258
174159
184159
194159
204060
214060
223961
233961
243961
253961
263862
273961
283961
293862
303862
313862

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Karatau gets around 40 mm of rain and snow over 7.6 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 25% and peaks near 25% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12513
22514
32514
42514
52514
62514
72514
82514
92514
102514
112514
122514
132515
142515
152515
162515
172516
182516
192516
202516
212516
222516
232516
242416
252416
262416
272416
282416
292416
302416
312316

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 7 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 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 8:37 AM to 8:56 AM, and sunset from 5:39 PM to 5:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.08:375:39
29.08:385:39
39.08:395:39
49.08:405:38
59.08:415:38
68.98:425:38
78.98:435:38
88.98:435:38
98.98:445:38
108.98:455:38
118.98:465:38
128.98:475:38
138.88:485:38
148.88:485:38
158.88:495:39
168.88:505:39
178.88:505:39
188.88:515:39
198.88:525:40
208.88:525:40
218.88:535:41
228.88:535:41
238.88:545:42
248.88:545:42
258.88:545:43
268.88:555:43
278.88:555:44
288.88:555:45
298.88:565:45
308.88:565:46
318.88:565:47

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.66 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.66 kWh/m² to a high of 7.29 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.66 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.7Dim
41.7Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.7Dim
81.7Dim
91.7Dim
101.7Dim
111.7Dim
121.7Dim
131.7Dim
141.6Dim
151.6Dim
161.6Dim
171.6Dim
181.6Dim
191.6Dim
201.6Dim
211.6Dim
221.6Dim
231.6Dim
241.6Dim
251.6Dim
261.6Dim
271.6Dim
281.7Dim
291.7Dim
301.7Dim
311.7Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Karatau?

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
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Karatau.

What to pack for Karatau in December

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

In December, Karatau sees daytime highs around 3°C and nights near -6°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Karatau in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Karatau peaks around August 13 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 13UV 8Dec 18UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec2Low

Air quality in Karatau 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 Karatau is worst in May — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (January, 12 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 1125 µg/m³Jan 1012 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar23Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May25Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug23Moderate
Sep24Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec12Good
Location & terrain

Where is Karatau?

Karatau sits at 43.2°N, 70.5°E, 525 m above sea level, in Kazakhstan. The nearest listed city is Turar Ryskulov, 72 km away.

Topography around Karatau

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Karatau has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 171 m around an average of 535 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 669 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,765 m.

The land around Karatau is covered by grassland (62%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 3 km, grassland (94%) within 16 km, and grassland (80%) within 80 km.

3 km
171 m
16 km
669 m
80 km
1,765 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Turar Ryskulov 72 km · Zhangatas 73 km · Taraz 81 km · Sarykemer 87 km · Aksu 99 km · Shymkent 119 km · Lenger 120 km · Arys 158 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 Karatau (43.1796°, 70.4592°, elevation 525 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).