Kara-Kul’ weather in December

In December, Kara-Kul’ sees average daytime highs of -1°C and overnight lows near -7°C, with 62 mm of precipitation across 9.8 wet days and about 9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 11th-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 7% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Kara-Kul’'s 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kara-Kul’'s year-round climate.

Daytime high
-1°
11th warmest
Overnight low
-7°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
62 mm
9.8 wet days
Daylight
9 hours
8:36 AM – 5:35 PM
Cloud cover
78%
11th clearest
Wind
3 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.77 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Kara-Kul’ is city in Kyrgyzstan.

Density
26/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 0°C in the first days to -2°C by the end.

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

-15°-10°-5°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
10-5
20-5
30-6
40-6
50-6
60-6
7-1-6
8-1-6
9-1-6
10-1-7
11-1-7
12-1-7
13-1-7
14-1-7
15-1-7
16-2-7
17-2-7
18-2-7
19-2-7
20-2-7
21-2-7
22-2-7
23-2-7
24-2-7
25-2-7
26-2-7
27-2-8
28-2-8
29-2-8
30-3-8
31-3-8

How December really feels in Kara-Kul’

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.

Kara-Kul’ weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -8°489.4119.30.0
Feb-1° / -7°6810.611.510.30.0
Mar / -2°9413.210.711.70.1
Apr11° / 15515.53.213.12.3
May17° / 21018.90.314.34.3
Jun20° / 11°19517.10155.4
Jul22° / 13°17817014.75.9
Aug22° / 13°15615013.76.3
Sep18° / 14015.1012.35.4
Oct12° / 10412.81.410.92.9
Nov / -2°78116.59.70.3
Dec-1° / -7°629.810.790.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 76%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23367
33169
43169
53070
63070
72872
82872
92773
102674
112674
122575
132575
142377
152377
162278
172278
182179
192179
202080
212080
222080
232080
242080
252080
262080
272080
282080
292080
302080
312179

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Kara-Kul’ gets around 62 mm of rain and snow over 9.8 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 31% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13232
23233
33233
43234
53234
63234
73235
83235
93235
103235
113234
123234
133134
143134
153134
163134
173134
183134
193135
203135
213134
223134
233134
243034
253034
262933
272933
282833
292832
302732
312732

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 3 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 3 km/h on the calmest days to 3 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
13calm
23calm
33calm
43calm
53calm
63calm
73calm
83calm
93calm
103calm
113calm
123calm
133calm
143calm
153calm
163calm
173calm
183calm
193calm
203calm
213calm
223calm
233calm
243calm
253calm
263calm
273calm
283calm
293calm
303calm
313calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 8:23 AM to 8:42 AM, and sunset from 5:35 PM to 5:43 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.28:235:35
29.28:245:35
39.28:255:35
49.18:265:35
59.18:275:34
69.18:285:34
79.18:295:34
89.18:295:34
99.18:305:34
109.18:315:34
119.08:325:34
129.08:335:35
139.08:335:35
149.08:345:35
159.08:355:35
169.08:365:35
179.08:365:36
189.08:375:36
199.08:375:36
209.08:385:37
219.08:385:37
229.08:395:38
239.08:395:38
249.08:405:39
259.08:405:39
269.08:415:40
279.08:415:40
289.08:415:41
299.08:415:42
309.08:425:42
319.08:425:43

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.77 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.77 kWh/m² to a high of 6.75 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.77 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.9Dim
21.9Dim
31.9Dim
41.8Dim
51.8Dim
61.8Dim
71.8Dim
81.8Dim
91.8Dim
101.8Dim
111.8Dim
121.8Dim
131.8Dim
141.8Dim
151.8Dim
161.8Dim
171.8Dim
181.8Dim
191.8Dim
201.8Dim
211.8Dim
221.8Dim
231.8Dim
241.8Dim
251.8Dim
261.8Dim
271.8Dim
281.8Dim
291.8Dim
301.8Dim
311.9Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Kara-Kul’?

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
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kara-Kul’.

What to pack for Kara-Kul’ in December

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

In December, Kara-Kul’ sees daytime highs around -1°C and nights near -7°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Kara-Kul’ 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 Kara-Kul’ peaks around May 20 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highHighModerateMay 20UV 10Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7Very high
May11Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Kara-Kul’ 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 Kara-Kul’ is worst in May — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.6× the cleanest month (December, 4 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1720 µg/m³Dec 215 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan5Good
Feb7Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr18Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov7Good
Dec4Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kara-Kul’?

Kara-Kul’ sits at 41.6°N, 72.7°E, 942 m above sea level, in Kyrgyzstan. The nearest listed city is Toktogul, 35 km away.

MassyBazar-KorgonKochkor-AtaUchqŭrghon ShahriPaxtaobodJalal-Abad

Topography around Kara-Kul’

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kara-Kul’.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kara-Kul’ has very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,302 m around an average of 1,062 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,608 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,930 m.

The land around Kara-Kul’ is covered by grassland (77%) within 3 km, grassland (86%) within 16 km, and grassland (70%) within 80 km.

3 km
1,302 m
16 km
2,608 m
80 km
3,930 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewatermoss and lichen
December weather nearby: Toktogul 35 km · Tash-Kumyr 49 km · Massy 63 km · Bazar-Korgon 66 km · Kochkor-Ata 68 km · Uchqŭrghon Shahri 76 km · Paxtaobod 79 km · Jalal-Abad 81 km

Kyrgyzstan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,081
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
74%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.7
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 443
Religion
Muslim 90%Christian 7%other 3%

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 Kara-Kul’ (41.6283°, 72.6703°, elevation 942 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).