Samarkand weather in January

In January, Samarkand sees average daytime highs of 6°C and overnight lows near -3°C, with 57 mm of precipitation across 10.4 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 6°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of January to 9 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Samarkand's 10th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Samarkand's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12th warmest
Overnight low
-3°
1st coldest
Precipitation
57 mm
10.4 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:57 AM – 5:26 PM
Cloud cover
64%
10th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
2.24 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.5
out of 10

Samarkand is city in southeastern Uzbekistan.

Density
5,511/km²
people per km²
Founded
~800 BCE

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

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 6°C through the month.

A typical January day in Samarkand reaches about 6°C in the afternoon and slips back to -3°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -0°C and 13°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 2°C cooler than December and about 3°C cooler than February.

-10°-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
17-2
27-2
37-3
46-3
56-3
66-3
76-3
86-3
96-3
106-3
116-3
126-3
136-3
146-3
156-3
166-3
176-3
186-3
196-3
206-3
216-3
226-3
236-3
246-3
256-2
266-2
277-2
287-2
297-2
307-2
317-2

How January really feels in Samarkand

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
wind chill below the day's low

The story in January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Samarkand weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -3°5710.44.99.50.5
Feb / -1°7610.43.710.41.6
Mar14° / 9612.61.711.73.9
Apr20° / 9110.90.1136.2
May26° / 13°558.8014.27.2
Jun31° / 16°153.9014.75.7
Jul33° / 18°41.1014.54.7
Aug32° / 16°30.7013.65.6
Sep27° / 12°61.2012.38.4
Oct21° / 203.7010.98.0
Nov13° / 507.61.19.84.1
Dec / -2°538.92.99.21.3

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% 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 59%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14555
24555
34456
44456
54357
64357
74258
84159
94357
104258
114258
124258
134258
144258
154258
164258
174159
184159
194060
204159
214060
224060
233961
243961
253862
263862
273763
283763
293763
303763
313664

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Samarkand gets around 57 mm of rain and snow over 10.4 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 34% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13012
23013
33113
43113
53113
63113
73114
83214
93214
103215
113215
123215
133316
143316
153316
163317
173317
183317
193317
203418
213418
223518
233518
243617
253717
263717
273717
283817
293816
303816
313816

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 7 km/h in January, the calmest month.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 7 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
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 12 min at the start of January to 9 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:58 AM to 7:48 AM, and sunset from 5:13 PM to 5:43 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:585:13
29.37:585:13
39.37:585:14
49.37:585:15
59.37:585:16
69.37:595:17
79.37:585:17
89.37:585:18
99.37:585:19
109.47:585:20
119.47:585:21
129.47:585:22
139.47:585:23
149.47:575:24
159.57:575:25
169.57:575:26
179.57:575:27
189.57:565:28
199.67:565:29
209.67:555:30
219.67:555:31
229.67:545:32
239.77:545:34
249.77:535:35
259.77:535:36
269.77:525:37
279.87:515:38
289.87:515:39
299.87:505:40
309.97:495:41
319.97:485:43

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.24 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2 kWh/m² to a high of 7.7 kWh/m² in July across the year — January's 2.24 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.0Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.3Moderate
172.3Moderate
182.3Moderate
192.3Moderate
202.3Moderate
212.3Moderate
222.4Moderate
232.4Moderate
242.4Moderate
252.4Moderate
262.4Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.5Moderate
292.5Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.5Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Samarkand

In seasonPeak

In January, Samarkand sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Samarkand's rainy season runs November–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Samarkand?

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

0.5
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Samarkand.

What to pack for Samarkand in January

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

In January, Samarkand sees daytime highs around 6°C and nights near -3°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 Samarkand in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Samarkand peaks around June 16 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 12 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 highModerateJun 16UV 9Jan 12UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May9Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Samarkand 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 Samarkand is worst in April — around 39 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateModerateApr 2138 µg/m³Jan 1524 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan24Moderate
Feb26Moderate
Mar36Poor
Apr39Poor
May38Poor
Jun32Moderate
Jul31Moderate
Aug30Moderate
Sep35Moderate
Oct35Poor
Nov31Moderate
Dec26Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Samarkand?

Samarkand sits at 39.7°N, 67.0°E, 703 m above sea level, in Uzbekistan. The nearest listed city is Juma Shahri, 27 km away.

Topography around Samarkand

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Samarkand has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 82 m around an average of 712 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 406 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,592 m.

The land around Samarkand is covered by artificial surfaces (90%) within 3 km, cropland (45%) and artificial surfaces (33%) within 16 km, and grassland (47%) and cropland (43%) within 80 km.

3 km
82 m
16 km
406 m
80 km
3,592 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Juma Shahri 27 km · Bulung’ur Shahri 29 km · Chelak 31 km · Urgut Shahri 37 km · Panjakent 58 km · Kitob 60 km · Kattaqo’rg’on Shahri 66 km · Shahrisabz 67 km

Uzbekistan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / E / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,968
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
82%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.4
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
11.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 439
Religion
Muslim 88%Eastern Orthodox 9%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 Samarkand (39.6546°, 66.9644°, elevation 703 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).