Index

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• Introduction
• Northern plains - Mazar-i-Sharif
• North-central - Bamyan, Kabul, Herat
• South - Kandahar
• When to go
• What to pack

Introduction

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In Afghanistan the climate is usually arid continental, with cold and relatively rainy winters (and with a rainy peak in spring), and hot and sunny summers. However, there are substantial differences depending on area and altitude: the south is desert, many areas are cold because of altitude, and the far east is relatively rainy even in summer, because it is partly affected by the Indian monsoon.
Precipitation is generally scarce, at semi-desert or desert levels, except in the eastern regions, where it can exceed 500 millimetres (20 inches) per year, while in the far east, near the border with Pakistan (Kunar and Nurestan provinces) it can even reach 1.000 mm (40 in).
During winter, the centre-north of the country (and more rarely the south) is reached by disturbances of Mediterranean origin, which bring a bit of rain, and even snow, more likely in the mountains. In early spring, the clash of air masses, due to the heating of the southern Asian landmass, further increases rainfall, so that March is often the wettest month. Later, the rains decrease, and usually from June to September it never rains. Only in the easternmost region, east of Kabul, there is some increase in rainfall in July and August, due to the last offshoot of the monsoon which affects India and Pakistan.

Northern plains

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In the northern plains (the ancient Bactria), crossed by the Amu Darya River, which marks the border with the former Soviet republics, the climate is continental, with cold winters (but the average daily temperature exceeds freezing also in January) and very hot summers. In winter, however, cold waves are possible, with peaks of -20/-25 °C (-4/-13 °F). Summer is really hot, with peaks of 45 °C (113 °F) and even more, and sunny.

Mazar-i-Sharif

Here are the average temperatures of Mazar-i-Sharif, located at 360 metres (1,200 feet) above sea level.

The rains, scarce, occur in winter and spring, with a maximum in March, when clashes of air masses can also cause strong winds.
Here is the average precipitation.

In Mazar-i-Sharif the sky is normally clear in summer, while in winter it does not shine very often. Here are the hours of sunshine per day.

North-central

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Afghanistan is a mountainous country, and is crossed by the chain of Hindu Kush in its various ramifications, but also by the Pamir in the far north-east, in the frigid Wakhan Corridor, near the border with China. Many cities, starting from the capital, are located in narrow valleys, shaped by rivers between the mountains, at higher or lower elevations. In the country there are several very high peaks, among which Noshaq, 7,492 metres (24,580 feet) high, Shar Dhar, 7,038 metres (23,090 ft), and Lunkho e Dosare, 6,901 metres (22,641 ft), all three at the border with Pakistan, and Kohe Bandaka, 6,843 metres (22,451 ft). At high altitudes, above 4,000 metres (13,000 feet), there are vast glaciers.

Bamyan

Here are the average temperatures of Bamyan, situated at 2,500 metres (8,200 feet) above sea level, 125 km (77 miles) north-west of Kabul. As we can see, winter is freezing, and although in summer the temperature rises quite a bit, nights are still very cool, or even cold.

West of Bamyan, and at 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) above sea level, we find the six lakes of Band-i-Amir, protected in a national park.

Kabul

The capital Kabul is located at a high altitude, 1,800 metres (5,900 feet) above sea level. Winter is cold, with an average temperature in January of -1 °C (30 °F), usually with freezing nights, and with possible peaks of -20/-25 °C (-4/-13 °F); snowfalls are fairly frequent and sometimes heavy. Summer is hot during the day, sometimes scorching, but nights remain usually cool.
Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation, fairly low, amounts to 300 mm (12 in) per year. The rainiest season is spring. In summer it almost never rains.
Here is the average precipitation.

In Kabul the sun shines quite often even in winter, while in summer it shines regularly.

Herat

Herat is located in the west, in the Hari River Valley, at about the same latitude as Kabul, but at a lower altitude, 900 metres (2,950 feet). Winter is cold, but with average temperatures above freezing. Sometimes it can snow, but more rarely than in Kabul. Here also, in winter cold spells with intense frosts are possible. Summer is hot and sunny, and characterized by an intense and frequent wind that blows from the north, the "wind of one hundred and twenty days" (Bad-i-Sad-u-Bist-Ruz), which blows in the west of Afghanistan in the warm season, from June to September, raising sand, dust and salt.
Here are the average temperatures.

In Herat, precipitation is scarce, and amounts to 240 millimetres (9.5 inches) per year. It never rains from June to September, but autumn is also dry.
Here is the average precipitation.

In winter, in Herat the sun shines a little less often than in Kabul, otherwise the sun shines regularly, especially from May to September.

South

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In the south the climate becomes warmer, and winter snowfalls become rare. In Farah, located in the south-west at 750 metres (2,460 feet) above sea level, the average temperature goes from 8 °C (46.5 °F) in January, to 33 °C (91.5 °F) in July.

Kandahar

In Kandahar, located in the southeast, near the desert, at 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) above sea level, it goes from 6.5 °C (43.5 °F) in January, to 31.5 °C (88.5 °F) in July. The winter is mild enough, even though it's cold at night, with possible frosts. Summer is scorchingly hot, and as usual it's sunny.
Here are the average temperatures.

Rainfall in Kandahar is very poor, since it doesn't reach 200 mm (8 in) per year. In practice, the only relatively rainy period is from January to March.
Here is the average precipitation.

In Kandahar, the sun shines frequently throughout the year, but especially in the long hot and dry period from May to October.

South of Kandahar there are a wide desert area (regions of Sistan and Baluchistan), occupied by a plateau at an average altitude of 500/700 metres (1,600/2,300 feet) in the western part, where we find the Dasht-e-Margo ("desert of death"), and between 700 and 1,200 metres (2,300 and 4,000 feet) in the east, where we find the Rigestan desert. In the middle, the Helmand River flows, along which some cities are found. Rainfall drops to around 80/100 millimetres (3.1/4 inches) per year in the northern part, and as low as 45/50 mm (1.8/2 in) in the southern part.
Here are the average temperatures of Zaranj, located in the province of Nimruz, near the border with Iran, at 500 metres (1,650 feet) above sea level.

When to go

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The best times to visit Afghanistan are spring and autumn, to avoid both the winter cold and the summer heat, generally the months of April and October (and even March and November in the southern deserts); however, in these months it can get hot during the day and cold at night. Autumn is preferable because it is drier and less windy.
The mountainous areas above 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) can be visited in summer, which is definitely the best season at higher altitudes, where in the rest of the year the cold dominates, except in the far east, which in summer is affected by the offshoots of the monsoon.

What to pack in the suitcase

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In winter: for Kabul and the mountains, very warm clothes, such as a down jacket, a hat, a scarf, gloves; for the plains of the north and Herat, also a lighter jacket for mild days; for Farah and Kandahar, warm clothes, such as a sweater, a coat, a hat; for the deserts of the south, a sweater, a jacket, a warm jacket for the night, a scarf for the sand.
In summer: for the plains of the north and the main cities of the plateau, lightweight clothing of natural fibres for the day, a sun hat, a desert turban, a sweatshirt for the evening. In Kabul, you can add a jacket for colder nights.
For the high mountains above 4,000 metres (13,000 feet), a down jacket, a hat, gloves, a scarf.
For the Kunar Province, a raincoat or umbrella.

To visit mosques, you must keep your shoulders and legs covered, and bare feet. Women should avoid low-cut dresses.

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