Skardu weather in January

In January, Skardu sees average daytime highs of -12°C and overnight lows near -19°C, with 72 mm of precipitation across 13.6 wet days and about 9.9 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about -13°C in the first days to -11°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of January to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Skardu's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Skardu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-12°
12th warmest
Overnight low
-19°
1st coldest
Precipitation
72 mm
13.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 54 min
7:11 AM – 5:03 PM
Cloud cover
64%
11th clearest
Wind
3 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
3.38 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Skardu is city in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about -13°C in the first days to -11°C by the end.

A typical January day in Skardu reaches about -12°C in the afternoon and slips back to -19°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -17°C and -7°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C cooler than December and about 3°C cooler than February.

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

How January really feels in Skardu

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January 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 January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Skardu weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-12° / -19°7213.615.79.90.0
Feb-9° / -16°9514.616.410.70.0
Mar-5° / -13°11116.117.111.70.0
Apr-1° / -10°10814.415.112.90.0
May / -6°9013.812.913.80.0
Jun / -2°8711.14.514.31.9
Jul17° / 14817.90.314.14.5
Aug17° / 13619.30.213.34.5
Sep12° / 11117.54.912.22.7
Oct / -11°5911.410.311.10.2
Nov-7° / -17°539.21010.10.0
Dec-11° / -19°6011.812.89.70.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 62%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14654
24555
34555
44456
54456
64357
74159
84159
94060
103961
113862
123763
133664
143763
153763
163664
173664
183664
193565
203664
213763
223763
233664
243664
253664
263664
273664
283664
293664
303565
313565

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Skardu gets around 72 mm of rain and snow over 13.6 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 44% and peaks near 46% on the wettest days, and about 16 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13842
23843
33943
43944
54045
64146
74146
84247
94248
104349
114450
124451
134451
144552
154552
164553
174553
184653
194653
204653
214653
224654
234653
244653
254653
264653
274653
284653
294653
304653
314653

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January 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 January

Winds average 3 km/h in January.

Across January, 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 January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 42 min at the start of January to 10 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:11 AM to 7:04 AM, and sunset from 4:50 PM to 5:17 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:114:50
29.77:114:51
39.77:114:52
49.77:114:53
59.77:124:53
69.77:124:54
79.77:124:55
89.77:124:56
99.77:124:56
109.87:124:57
119.87:124:58
129.87:124:59
139.87:115:00
149.87:115:01
159.87:115:02
169.97:115:03
179.97:115:04
189.97:105:05
199.97:105:05
209.97:105:06
2110.07:095:07
2210.07:095:08
2310.07:095:09
2410.07:085:10
2510.17:085:11
2610.17:075:12
2710.17:075:13
2810.17:065:14
2910.27:065:15
3010.27:055:16
3110.27:045:17

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 3.38 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.11 kWh/m² to a high of 8.11 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 3.38 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.1Moderate
23.1Moderate
33.2Moderate
43.2Moderate
53.2Moderate
63.2Moderate
73.2Moderate
83.2Moderate
93.2Moderate
103.2Moderate
113.3Moderate
123.3Moderate
133.3Moderate
143.3Moderate
153.3Moderate
163.4Moderate
173.4Moderate
183.4Moderate
193.4Moderate
203.5Moderate
213.5Moderate
223.5Moderate
233.5Moderate
243.6Moderate
253.6Moderate
263.6Moderate
273.7Moderate
283.7Moderate
293.7Moderate
303.8Moderate
313.8Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Skardu?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Skardu.

What to pack for Skardu in January

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

In January, Skardu sees daytime highs around -12°C and nights near -19°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 14 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Skardu in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Skardu peaks around May 20 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 12 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highExtremeVery highModerateMay 20UV 15Jan 12UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb6High
Mar10Very high
Apr12Extreme
May15Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul14Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep10Extreme
Oct7Very high
Nov4Moderate
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Skardu in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Skardu is worst in January — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (September, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateJan 1623 µg/m³Sep 1310 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan23Moderate
Feb21Moderate
Mar17Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May12Good
Jun12Moderate
Jul11Good
Aug11Good
Sep10Good
Oct12Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec21Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Skardu?

Skardu sits at 35.3°N, 75.6°E, 2,241 m above sea level, in Pakistan. The nearest listed city is Gilgit, 138 km away.

GilgitHunzaLehMuzaffarabadMurreeIslamabadSialkotĀsmār

Topography around Skardu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Skardu has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 649 m around an average of 2,263 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,143 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,010 m.

The land around Skardu is covered by bare terrain (51%) within 3 km, bare terrain (65%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (44%) and grassland (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
649 m
16 km
3,143 m
80 km
6,010 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewatermoss and lichen
January weather nearby: Gilgit 138 km · Hunza 144 km · Leh 218 km · Muzaffarabad 223 km · Murree 257 km · Islamabad 295 km · Sialkot 328 km · Āsmār 390 km

Pakistan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type C / D / G / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 24% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,596
2025
Happiness
4.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
45%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
4.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
13
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 493
Religion
Muslim 96%Hindu 2%Christian 1%

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 Skardu (35.2979°, 75.6337°, elevation 2,241 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).