Aral (formerly Aralsk) is a city of 30,000 inhabitants, located in central-western Kazakhstan, at almost 47 degrees north latitude, in the region (oblys) of Kyzylorda.
, a former large lake, once fed by the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, but which has partly dried up in recent decades due to the exploitation of the same rivers for agricultural purposes. Today, the remaining lake is located about 15 km (9 mi) to the southwest.
is decidedly scarce, as it is less than 150 millimeters (6 inches) per year. In particular, summer, a season in which thunderstorms occur in northern Kazakhstan, here is dry.
, from December to February, is very cold: the average temperature in January is about -10.5 °C (13 °F).
Due to the arid climate, snowfall is usually light. However, light snow falls quite often.
, the temperature drops around or below -25 °C (-13 °F) every year. Sometimes it can even drop below -30 °C (-22 °F). The coldest record is -37.9 °C (-36.2 °F), set in January 1969. That month, the daily average was -25 °C (-12.9 °F).
, from June to August, is very hot and sunny, with some rare thunderstorms. The average for July is 27.5 °C (81.5 °F).
On the hottest days, the temperature reaches or exceeds 40 °C (104 °F) every year or so.
The hottest record is 44.8 °C (112.6 °F), set in July 1984. That month, the average high was 37.7 °C (99.9 °F). Heat records reach or exceed 40 °C (104 °F) from May to September.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-10.6 °C, with a minimum of
-14.3 °C and a maximum of
-6.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-26 °C. However, it dropped to
-35.1 °C in January 2001.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
1.5 °C. However, it reached
4.2 °C in January 1999.
Precipitation amounts to
11.1 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 44% of the time.
The average humidity is 83%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
15.9 kph.
February is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-9.2 °C, with a minimum of
-13.5 °C and a maximum of
-4.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-24.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-34.7 °C in February 1994.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
3.5 °C. However, it reached
17.8 °C in February 1999.
Precipitation amounts to
11.2 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 20 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 58% of the time.
The average humidity is 81%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
16.8 kph.
March is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of
0.5 °C, with a minimum of
-4.3 °C and a maximum of
5.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-15.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-27.1 °C in March 2011.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
18 °C. However, it reached
29.1 °C in March 2001.
Precipitation amounts to
16.4 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 54% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
18.3 kph.
April is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
12 °C, with a minimum of
5.8 °C and a maximum of
18.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-3 °C. However, it dropped to
-7.4 °C in April 2005.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
28.5 °C. However, it reached
33.9 °C in April 2005.
Precipitation amounts to
14.3 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 64% of the time.
The average humidity is 50%.
The average wind speed is of
18 kph.
May is generally a warm month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
19.6 °C, with a minimum of
12.7 °C and a maximum of
26.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
4.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-1.5 °C in May 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
35 °C. However, it reached
40.5 °C in May 2020.
Precipitation amounts to
13.4 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 5 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 11 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 72% of the time.
The average humidity is 41%.
The average wind speed is of
17 kph.
June is generally a warm to hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
25.5 °C, with a minimum of
18.4 °C and a maximum of
32.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
11.5 °C. However, it dropped to
2.2 °C in June 2018.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
39.5 °C. However, it reached
43.2 °C in June 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
12.1 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 50 minutes. So the days are long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 12 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 76% of the time.
The average humidity is 35%.
The average wind speed is of
15.5 kph.
July, the hottest month of the year, is generally a warm to hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
27.4 °C, with a minimum of
20.5 °C and a maximum of
34.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
14 °C. However, it dropped to
10.9 °C in July 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
41 °C. However, it reached
44.2 °C in July 2005.
Precipitation amounts to only
8.3 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 25 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 12 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 79% of the time.
The average humidity is 35%.
The average wind speed is of
14.8 kph.
August is generally a warm to hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
25.6 °C, with a minimum of
18.4 °C and a maximum of
32.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
10.5 °C. However, it dropped to
6.9 °C in August 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
39.5 °C. However, it reached
44.4 °C in August 2002.
Precipitation amounts to only
6.3 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 5 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 11.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 82% of the time.
The average humidity is 35%. Hence, the air is normally dry.
The average wind speed is of
14.6 kph.
September is generally a warm month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
18.2 °C, with a minimum of
11.2 °C and a maximum of
25.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-3.5 °C in September 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
34.5 °C. However, it reached
41 °C in September 1998.
Precipitation amounts to only
4 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 10 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 79% of the time.
The average humidity is 41%.
The average wind speed is of
13.5 kph.
October is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
9.6 °C, with a minimum of
3.3 °C and a maximum of
15.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-4.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-10.7 °C in October 2016.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
26.5 °C. However, it reached
32.6 °C in October 1997.
Precipitation amounts to
11.4 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 7 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 64% of the time.
The average humidity is 55%.
The average wind speed is of
13.8 kph.
November is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-0.1 °C, with a minimum of
-4.3 °C and a maximum of
4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-15.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-26.8 °C in November 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
14 °C. However, it reached
24.7 °C in November 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
13.8 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 49% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
14.3 kph.
December is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-7.7 °C, with a minimum of
-11.3 °C and a maximum of
-4.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-22.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-31.8 °C in December 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
4 °C. However, it reached
9.4 °C in December 2005.
Precipitation amounts to
12.8 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 35 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 40% of the time.
The average humidity is 82%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
14.8 kph.