Yakutsk weather in December

In December, Yakutsk sees average daytime highs of -34°C and overnight lows near -40°C, with 2 mm of precipitation across 0.6 wet days and about 4.9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about -32°C in the first days to -35°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 5 h 24 min at the start of December to 4 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Yakutsk's 11th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Yakutsk's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-34°
11th warmest
Overnight low
-40°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
2 mm
0.6 wet days
Daylight
4 h 48 min
9:54 AM – 2:40 PM
Cloud cover
87%
11th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
0.16 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Yakutsk is city in eastern Russia, capital of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

Density
1,931/km²
people per km²
Founded
1632

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 -32°C in the first days to -35°C by the end.

A typical December day in Yakutsk reaches about -34°C in the afternoon and slips back to -40°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -43°C and -25°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 12°C cooler than November and on par with January.

-50°-40°-30°-20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1-31-37
2-32-37
3-32-38
4-32-38
5-32-38
6-33-38
7-33-39
8-33-39
9-33-39
10-34-39
11-34-39
12-34-40
13-34-40
14-34-40
15-35-40
16-35-40
17-35-40
18-35-40
19-35-41
20-35-41
21-35-41
22-35-41
23-35-41
24-35-41
25-35-41
26-35-41
27-35-41
28-35-41
29-35-41
30-35-41
31-35-41

How December really feels in Yakutsk

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.

Yakutsk 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-34° / -41°20.51.75.80.0
Feb-28° / -37°20.81.68.30.0
Mar-13° / -26°41.1211.30.0
Apr / -11°103.12.914.30.2
May13° / 2671.217.33.7
Jun22° / 10°336.8019.17.0
Jul25° / 13°457.8018.37.1
Aug21° / 10°447.8015.76.6
Sep11° / 388.40.812.62.6
Oct-4° / -10°165.15.99.60.0
Nov-23° / -29°82.846.70.0
Dec-34° / -40°20.61.44.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 6% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 89%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1892
2892
3892
41090
51090
61090
7991
8892
9892
10892
11892
12892
13892
14892
15991
16991
171090
181090
191189
201189
211189
221387
231387
241387
251387
261486
271486
281486
291387
301387
311486

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Yakutsk gets around 2 mm of rain and snow over 0.6 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 2% and peaks near 3% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
135
235
335
435
525
625
725
826
926
1025
1125
1225
1325
1425
1525
1625
1725
1824
1924
2024
2124
2224
2324
2424
2524
2624
2725
2825
2925
3026
3126

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 6 km/h in December, the calmest month.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 5 h 24 min at the start of December to 4 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 36 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 9:28 AM to 9:59 AM, and sunset from 2:54 PM to 2:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
15.49:282:54
25.49:302:52
35.39:322:51
45.29:352:49
55.29:372:48
65.19:392:47
75.19:412:46
85.09:422:45
95.09:442:44
105.09:462:43
114.99:482:42
124.99:492:42
134.89:512:41
144.89:522:41
154.89:532:40
164.89:542:40
174.79:552:40
184.79:562:40
194.79:572:40
204.79:582:40
214.79:582:41
224.79:592:41
234.79:592:42
244.710:002:42
254.710:002:43
264.710:002:44
274.710:002:45
284.810:002:46
294.810:002:47
304.89:592:48
314.89:592:50

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 0.16 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.16 kWh/m² to a high of 6.22 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 0.16 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
10.2Dim
20.2Dim
30.2Dim
40.2Dim
50.2Dim
60.2Dim
70.2Dim
80.2Dim
90.2Dim
100.2Dim
110.2Dim
120.2Dim
130.2Dim
140.2Dim
150.2Dim
160.1Dim
170.1Dim
180.1Dim
190.1Dim
200.1Dim
210.1Dim
220.1Dim
230.1Dim
240.1Dim
250.1Dim
260.1Dim
270.1Dim
280.2Dim
290.2Dim
300.2Dim
310.2Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Yakutsk?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Yakutsk.

What to pack for Yakutsk in December

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

In December, Yakutsk sees daytime highs around -34°C and nights near -40°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Yakutsk in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 0. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Yakutsk peaks around June 20 at about 4 (moderate) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 0 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 4 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateLowJun 20UV 4Jan 1UV 0
UV index (midday)Level
Jan0Low
Feb0Low
Mar1Low
Apr3Moderate
May3Moderate
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep2Low
Oct1Low
Nov0Low
Dec0Low

Air quality in Yakutsk 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 Yakutsk is worst in August — around 78 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 33.7× the cleanest month (December, 2 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateUnhealthyGoodAug 1275 µg/m³Dec 122 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan3Good
Feb4Good
Mar7Good
Apr7Good
May10Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul61Unhealthy
Aug78Unhealthy
Sep23Moderate
Oct4Good
Nov3Good
Dec2Good
Location & terrain

Where is Yakutsk?

Yakutsk sits at 62.0°N, 129.7°E, 126 m above sea level, in Russia. The nearest listed city is Aldan, 448 km away.

NeryungriLenskMirnyTyndaZeyaUdachnyBodaybo

Topography around Yakutsk

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Yakutsk has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 23 m around an average of 97 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 176 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 250 m.

The land around Yakutsk is covered by artificial surfaces (59%) within 3 km, trees (46%) and grassland (24%) within 16 km, and trees (75%) within 80 km.

3 km
23 m
16 km
176 m
80 km
250 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Aldan 448 km · Neryungri 661 km · Lensk 799 km · Mirny 815 km · Tynda 817 km · Zeya 934 km · Udachny 965 km · Bodaybo 978 km

Russia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 32% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$17,547
2025
Happiness
5.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
76%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
6.8
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
12
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 521
Religion
other Christian 2%

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 Yakutsk (62.0311°, 129.7229°, elevation 126 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).