Shelek weather in December

In December, Shelek sees average daytime highs of -0°C and overnight lows near -8°C, with 28 mm of precipitation across 7 wet days and about 8.8 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 1°C in the first days to -1°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% 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 Shelek's 6th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shelek's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-0°
11th warmest
Overnight low
-8°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
28 mm
7 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
8:20 AM – 5:06 PM
Cloud cover
56%
6th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
1.87 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Shelek is village in Almaty Region, Kazakhstan.

Density
433/km²
people per km²

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 1°C in the first days to -1°C by the end.

A typical December day in Shelek reaches about -0°C in the afternoon and slips back to -8°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 5°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

-20°-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12-7
22-7
31-7
41-7
51-7
61-7
71-8
81-8
90-8
100-8
110-8
120-8
130-8
140-8
150-8
160-8
170-8
180-9
19-1-9
20-1-9
21-1-9
22-1-9
23-1-9
24-1-9
25-1-9
26-1-9
27-1-9
28-1-9
29-1-9
30-1-9
31-1-9

How December really feels in Shelek

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
31 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Shelek weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-2° / -10°216.17.19.10.0
Feb / -8°256.77.110.20.0
Mar / -2°4910.56.511.61.3
Apr16° / 87132.713.24.6
May21° / 8712.60.314.56.1
Jun25° / 13°6210.4015.26.7
Jul27° / 15°488.2014.96.9
Aug26° / 14°387.3013.87.4
Sep22° / 418.10.112.37.2
Oct15° / 488.32.510.84.6
Nov / -4°428.55.79.50.9
Dec-0° / -8°2877.18.80.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% 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 52%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34852
44951
54951
64951
74951
84951
95050
105050
115050
125050
135050
144951
154951
164852
174852
184753
194753
204753
214753
224555
234555
244555
254654
264654
274654
284654
294753
304753
314654

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Shelek gets around 28 mm of rain and snow over 7 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 22% and peaks near 24% on the wettest days, and about 7 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12421
22421
32421
42321
52321
62321
72321
82221
92221
102221
112221
122222
132222
142222
152223
162223
172223
182224
192324
202324
212325
222325
232325
242225
252224
262224
272124
282123
292123
302123
312022

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 8:07 AM to 8:26 AM, and sunset from 5:07 PM to 5:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.08:075:07
29.08:085:06
39.08:095:06
48.98:105:06
58.98:115:06
68.98:125:06
78.98:135:05
88.98:145:05
98.88:155:05
108.88:155:05
118.88:165:05
128.88:175:05
138.88:185:06
148.88:195:06
158.88:195:06
168.88:205:06
178.88:215:06
188.88:215:07
198.88:225:07
208.88:225:08
218.78:235:08
228.78:235:08
238.78:245:09
248.88:245:09
258.88:255:10
268.88:255:11
278.88:255:11
288.88:265:12
298.88:265:13
308.88:265:13
318.88:265:14

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.87 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.87 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.87 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.9Dim
21.9Dim
31.9Dim
41.9Dim
51.9Dim
61.9Dim
71.9Dim
81.9Dim
91.9Dim
101.9Dim
111.9Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
181.9Dim
191.9Dim
201.9Dim
211.9Dim
221.9Dim
231.9Dim
241.9Dim
251.9Dim
261.9Dim
271.9Dim
281.9Dim
291.9Dim
301.9Dim
312.0Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Shelek?

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 Shelek.

What to pack for Shelek in December

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

In December, Shelek sees daytime highs around -0°C and nights near -8°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Shelek 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 Shelek peaks around July 21 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. 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 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateVery highModerateLowJul 21UV 9Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May9Very high
Jun7Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Shelek 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 Shelek is worst in April — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.9× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 2020 µg/m³Dec 185 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar17Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov8Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shelek?

Shelek sits at 43.6°N, 78.3°E, 609 m above sea level, in Kazakhstan. The nearest listed city is Esik, 70 km away.

Topography around Shelek

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shelek has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 80 m around an average of 606 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 667 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,883 m.

The land around Shelek is covered by grassland (34%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 3 km, grassland (52%) and cropland (36%) within 16 km, and grassland (63%) within 80 km.

3 km
80 m
16 km
667 m
80 km
3,883 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmoss and lichen
December weather nearby: Esik 70 km · Talgar 89 km · Konayev 101 km · Otegen Batyra 102 km · Almaty 115 km · Burunday 116 km · Karakol 123 km · Kyzyl-Suu 141 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 Shelek (43.5962°, 78.2575°, elevation 609 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).