Karakol weather in December

In December, Karakol sees average daytime highs of -6°C and overnight lows near -16°C, with 30 mm of precipitation across 7.1 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about -5°C in the first days to -8°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Karakol's 6th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Karakol's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-6°
11th warmest
Overnight low
-16°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
30 mm
7.1 wet days
Daylight
8 h 54 min
8:16 AM – 5:10 PM
Cloud cover
58%
6th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.06 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Karakol is city in Kyrgyzstan.

Density
1,755/km²
people per km²
Founded
1869

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 -5°C in the first days to -8°C by the end.

A typical December day in Karakol reaches about -6°C in the afternoon and slips back to -16°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -11°C and -2°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

-20°-10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1-4-15
2-5-15
3-5-15
4-5-15
5-5-15
6-5-15
7-5-15
8-6-16
9-6-16
10-6-16
11-6-16
12-6-16
13-6-16
14-6-16
15-6-16
16-7-16
17-7-16
18-7-16
19-7-16
20-7-17
21-7-17
22-7-17
23-7-17
24-7-17
25-7-17
26-7-17
27-7-17
28-7-17
29-8-17
30-8-17
31-8-17

How December really feels in Karakol

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.

Karakol 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-8° / -18°235.88.59.20.0
Feb-5° / -15°236.48.410.30.0
Mar / -9°379.210.411.60.0
Apr / -3°7012.610.813.11.3
May12° / 10116.29.314.42.8
Jun16° / 9418.33.415.13.9
Jul18° / 9718.60.514.84.9
Aug18° / 95180.913.75.0
Sep14° / 7816.46.312.33.8
Oct / -5°6512.711.110.81.2
Nov-0° / -12°429.39.99.60.0
Dec-6° / -16°307.19.68.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 53%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
34951
44951
54951
64852
74951
84852
94852
104852
114753
124654
134753
144753
154654
164654
174753
184654
194654
204654
214654
224654
234654
244654
254654
264654
274654
284654
294654
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Karakol gets around 30 mm of rain and snow over 7.1 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 23% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days, and about 10 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12632
22632
32532
42532
52532
62532
72431
82431
92431
102331
112331
122331
132331
142331
152331
162231
172231
182231
192231
202231
212231
222231
232231
242231
252231
262230
272230
282230
292130
302129
312129

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 8 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 06 min at the start of December to 8 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 8:03 AM to 8:22 AM, and sunset from 5:10 PM to 5:17 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.18:035:10
29.18:045:09
39.18:055:09
49.18:065:09
59.08:075:09
69.08:085:09
79.08:095:09
89.08:095:09
99.08:105:09
109.08:115:09
118.98:125:09
128.98:135:09
138.98:135:09
148.98:145:09
158.98:155:09
168.98:165:10
178.98:165:10
188.98:175:10
198.98:175:11
208.98:185:11
218.98:195:11
228.98:195:12
238.98:195:12
248.98:205:13
258.98:205:13
268.98:215:14
278.98:215:15
288.98:215:15
298.98:215:16
308.98:225:17
318.98:225:17

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.06 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.06 kWh/m² to a high of 6.67 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.06 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.2Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.1Moderate
142.1Moderate
152.1Moderate
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.0Moderate
192.0Moderate
202.0Moderate
212.0Moderate
222.0Moderate
232.0Moderate
242.0Moderate
252.1Moderate
262.1Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Karakol

In seasonPeak

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

Karakol's rainy season runs April–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Karakol?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Karakol.

What to pack for Karakol in December

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

In December, Karakol sees daytime highs around -6°C and nights near -16°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Karakol 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 Karakol peaks around July 19 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 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 highExtremeVery highModerateJul 19UV 10Jan 10UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May11Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Karakol 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 Karakol is worst in April — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 7.4× the cleanest month (December, 3 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1922 µg/m³Dec 173 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan4Good
Feb6Good
Mar17Moderate
Apr23Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct10Good
Nov4Good
Dec3Good
Location & terrain

Where is Karakol?

Karakol sits at 42.5°N, 78.4°E, 1,770 m above sea level, in Kyrgyzstan. The nearest listed city is Kyzyl-Suu, 36 km away.

EsikShelekTalgarAlmatyOtegen BatyraBurundayBalykchy

Topography around Karakol

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Karakol has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 175 m around an average of 1,750 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,009 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,020 m.

The land around Karakol is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) and cropland (22%) within 3 km, grassland (46%) and cropland (36%) within 16 km, and grassland (44%) within 80 km.

3 km
175 m
16 km
2,009 m
80 km
4,020 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewatermoss and lichen
December weather nearby: Kyzyl-Suu 36 km · Esik 123 km · Shelek 123 km · Talgar 130 km · Almaty 147 km · Otegen Batyra 152 km · Burunday 158 km · Balykchy 181 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 Karakol (42.4905°, 78.392°, elevation 1,770 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).