Erciş weather in December

In December, Erciş sees average daytime highs of 2°C and overnight lows near -2°C, with 55 mm of precipitation across 9.7 wet days and about 9.3 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 3°C in the first days to 0°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 30 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Erciş's 9th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Erciş's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-2°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
55 mm
9.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 18 min
6:25 AM – 3:41 PM
Cloud cover
56%
9th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
2.18 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Erciş is district and town in Van Province, Turkey.

Density
43/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 3°C in the first days to 0°C by the end.

A typical December day in Erciş reaches about 2°C in the afternoon and slips back to -2°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -3°C and 5°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 5°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
140
24-1
33-1
43-1
53-1
63-1
73-1
82-2
92-2
102-2
112-2
122-2
132-2
142-2
151-2
161-3
171-3
181-3
191-3
201-3
211-3
221-3
231-3
241-3
251-3
261-3
271-3
281-3
290-3
300-3
310-4

How December really feels in Erciş

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.

Erciş weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-1° / -5°5110.3119.60.0
Feb / -4°4910.110.710.50.0
Mar / -1°6412.510.511.70.1
Apr / 6614.15131.8
May15° / 5812.80.514.14.6
Jun21° / 14°215.7014.77.7
Jul26° / 18°102.3014.58.8
Aug26° / 18°62.1013.58.8
Sep21° / 14°204012.38.1
Oct14° / 549.20.5114.7
Nov / 508.54.49.91.0
Dec / -2°559.79.19.30.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25347
35248
45248
55149
65149
75050
85050
95050
104951
115050
124951
134951
144951
154951
165050
175050
185050
195050
205149
215149
225248
235149
245149
255149
265149
275050
285050
294951
304951
314951

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Erciş gets around 55 mm of rain and snow over 9.7 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 33% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days, and about 9 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13023
23024
33024
43125
53226
63227
73328
83329
93429
103430
113431
123531
133532
143532
153532
163532
173432
183432
193332
203331
213231
223131
233130
243130
253131
263131
273132
283132
293233
303234
313334

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 7 km/h in December, the calmest month.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 30 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 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 6:12 AM to 6:31 AM, and sunset from 3:40 PM to 3:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.56:123:40
29.46:133:40
39.46:143:40
49.46:153:40
59.46:163:40
69.46:173:40
79.46:183:40
89.36:193:40
99.36:193:40
109.36:203:40
119.36:213:40
129.36:223:40
139.36:223:40
149.36:233:40
159.36:243:41
169.36:253:41
179.36:253:41
189.36:263:42
199.36:263:42
209.36:273:42
219.36:273:43
229.36:283:43
239.36:283:44
249.36:293:44
259.36:293:45
269.36:293:45
279.36:303:46
289.36:303:47
299.36:303:47
309.36:313:48
319.36:313:49

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.18 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.18 kWh/m² to a high of 7.78 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.18 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.3Moderate
72.2Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.1Moderate
162.1Moderate
172.1Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.2Moderate
272.2Moderate
282.2Moderate
292.2Moderate
302.2Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Erciş?

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
7th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Erciş.

What to pack for Erciş in December

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

In December, Erciş sees daytime highs around 2°C and nights near -2°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 Erciş in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Erciş peaks around June 22 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJun 22UV 11Dec 18UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May9Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct5High
Nov3Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Erciş 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 Erciş is worst in May — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1125 µg/m³Jan 1011 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May25Moderate
Jun20Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Erciş?

Erciş sits at 39.0°N, 43.4°E, 1,682 m above sea level, in Turkey. The nearest listed city is Patnos, 49 km away.

Topography around Erciş

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Erciş has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 232 m around an average of 1,701 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 780 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,562 m.

The land around Erciş is covered by grassland (37%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 3 km, grassland (37%), water (30%) and cropland (26%) within 16 km, and grassland (61%) and cropland (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
232 m
16 km
780 m
80 km
2,562 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Patnos 49 km · Van 59 km · Adilcevaz 60 km · Diyadin 63 km · Malazgirt 72 km · Ağrı 81 km · Ahlat 82 km · Doğubayazıt 85 km

Turkey travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 41% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$18,599
2025
Happiness
5.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
3.2
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
6.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 488
Religion
Muslim 100%other 0%

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 Erciş (39.0259°, 43.3596°, elevation 1,682 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).