Khorugh weather in December

In December, Khorugh sees average daytime highs of -14°C and overnight lows near -21°C, with 72 mm of precipitation across 12 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about -12°C in the first days to -15°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Khorugh's 9th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Khorugh's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-14°
11th warmest
Overnight low
-21°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
72 mm
12 wet days
Daylight
9 h 24 min
7:27 AM – 4:53 PM
Cloud cover
63%
9th clearest
Wind
3 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.84 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Khorugh is city in Tajikistan.

Founded
1932

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 -12°C in the first days to -15°C by the end.

A typical December day in Khorugh reaches about -14°C in the afternoon and slips back to -21°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -20°C and -9°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

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

How December really feels in Khorugh

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.

Khorugh weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-15° / -21°7112.314.39.70.0
Feb-12° / -19°9113.615.310.60.0
Mar-6° / -15°10614.915.911.70.0
Apr-1° / -10°9713.614.112.90.0
May / -5°7612.411.7140.1
Jun10° / -1°6213.83.214.51.9
Jul14° / 5313.20.314.34.2
Aug15° / 308.80.113.45.1
Sep12° / 225.8212.33.5
Oct / -10°438.28.1110.2
Nov-8° / -18°6710.611.4100.0
Dec-14° / -21°721213.39.50.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24159
34060
44159
54159
64159
74159
84159
94060
104060
114060
124060
134060
144060
154060
163961
173961
183961
193961
203862
213862
223862
233961
243961
253862
263862
273862
283961
293961
303862
313862

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Khorugh gets around 72 mm of rain and snow over 12 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 39% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days, and about 13 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14144
24144
34144
44044
54044
63943
73943
83943
93842
103842
113842
123842
133842
143842
153842
163842
173842
183843
193943
203944
213944
223944
233944
243944
253943
263843
273843
283842
293742
303742
313742

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 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 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 7:15 AM to 7:34 AM, and sunset from 4:52 PM to 5:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.67:154:52
29.67:164:51
39.67:174:51
49.67:184:51
59.57:194:51
69.57:204:51
79.57:214:51
89.57:214:51
99.57:224:51
109.57:234:51
119.57:244:52
129.57:244:52
139.47:254:52
149.47:264:52
159.47:274:52
169.47:274:53
179.47:284:53
189.47:284:53
199.47:294:54
209.47:294:54
219.47:304:55
229.47:304:55
239.47:314:56
249.47:314:56
259.47:324:57
269.47:324:57
279.47:324:58
289.47:334:58
299.47:334:59
309.47:335:00
319.47:345:00

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.84 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.84 kWh/m² to a high of 7.92 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.84 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.0Moderate
23.0Moderate
33.0Moderate
43.0Moderate
52.9Moderate
62.9Moderate
72.9Moderate
82.9Moderate
92.9Moderate
102.9Moderate
112.9Moderate
122.8Moderate
132.8Moderate
142.8Moderate
152.8Moderate
162.8Moderate
172.8Moderate
182.8Moderate
192.8Moderate
202.8Moderate
212.8Moderate
222.8Moderate
232.8Moderate
242.8Moderate
252.8Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.9Moderate
282.9Moderate
292.9Moderate
302.9Moderate
312.9Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Khorugh?

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
Beach & pool
never really warm enough

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Khorugh.

What to pack for Khorugh in December

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

In December, Khorugh sees daytime highs around -14°C and nights near -21°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Khorugh in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Khorugh peaks around May 18 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateMay 18UV 15Jan 1UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb6High
Mar8Very high
Apr12Extreme
May15Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Khorugh 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 Khorugh is worst in July — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.0× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1321 µg/m³Dec 195 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb6Good
Mar9Good
Apr11Good
May15Moderate
Jun20Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov6Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Khorugh?

Khorugh sits at 37.5°N, 71.6°E, 2,089 m above sea level, in Tajikistan. The nearest listed city is Bahārak, 79 km away.

BahārakIshqoshimJurmFayzabadRustāqKŭlobChubekHulbuk

Topography around Khorugh

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Khorugh has very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,802 m around an average of 2,622 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,967 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,678 m.

The land around Khorugh is covered by grassland (54%) and bare terrain (27%) within 3 km, grassland (50%) and bare terrain (38%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (45%) and grassland (38%) within 80 km.

3 km
1,802 m
16 km
2,967 m
80 km
4,678 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewatermoss and lichen
December weather nearby: Bahārak 79 km · Ishqoshim 85 km · Jurm 94 km · Fayzabad 96 km · Rustāq 158 km · Kŭlob 163 km · Chubek 163 km · Hulbuk 172 km

Tajikistan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F / I
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 28% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,637
2025
Happiness
5.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
65%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
15.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 409
Religion
Muslim 98%

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 Khorugh (37.4904°, 71.5534°, elevation 2,089 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).