Astana (formerly Nur-Sultan, Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, and Akmola) is a city of 1,400,000 inhabitants, the capital of Kazakhstan, located in the north of the country, on the banks of the Ishim River, at 51 degrees north latitude and 350 meters (1,150 feet) above sea level.
is quite scarce, amounting to about 340 millimeters (13 inches) per year. The rainiest months are June and July, due to afternoon thunderstorms.
Precipitation is more abundant than in southern Kazakhstan, and since the winter is long and cold, total evaporation is not very high. For this reason, in the Köppen classification, the climate is regarded as humid continental with warm summers (Dfb).
, from November to March, is very cold. With an average January temperature of around -14.5 °C (6 °F), Astana is one of the coldest capitals in the world (second only to Ulan Bator, in Mongolia). There are sunny periods, but also periods when the sky is cloudy, and light snow falls. Fog can sometimes form.
The ground is usually covered in snow. However, since precipitation is scarce, snowfall is generally not abundant.
, the temperature drops to -30 °C (-22 °F) or below in most years, and occasionally even drops below -40 °C (-40 °F).
The coldest record is -51.6 °C (-60.9 °F), but it dates back to a colder era, in January 1893. More recently, the temperature dropped to -44.9 °C (-48.8 °F) in January 1943.
January 1969 was the coldest month, with a monthly daily average of -29.65 °C (-21.4 °F).
, from June to August, is quite warm and sunny, with often notable differences in temperature between night and day, and with possible rain and thunderstorms, usually not intense. The average in July is about 20.5 °C (69 °F).
, during which the temperature can reach and exceed 37/38 °C (99/100 °F). The hottest record is 41.6 °C (106.9 °F), set in July 1936.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-14.4 °C, with a minimum of
-18.6 °C and a maximum of
-10.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-31 °C. However, it dropped to
-42 °C in January 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
-0.5 °C. However, it reached
3.8 °C in January 2015.
Precipitation amounts to
17.8 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 39% of the time.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
13.3 kph.
February is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-13.4 °C, with a minimum of
-17.9 °C and a maximum of
-8.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-29.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-39.3 °C in February 2012.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
0.5 °C. However, it reached
8.2 °C in February 2016.
Precipitation amounts to
16.7 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 52% of the time.
The average humidity is 77%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
14 kph.
March is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-5.9 °C, with a minimum of
-10.3 °C and a maximum of
-1.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-22.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-35.2 °C in March 1999.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
8 °C. However, it reached
20.4 °C in March 2014.
Precipitation amounts to
20 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 52% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
13.3 kph.
April is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of
6.8 °C, with a minimum of
1.2 °C and a maximum of
12.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-9 °C. However, it dropped to
-17.4 °C in April 2015.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
24 °C. However, it reached
30 °C in April 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
21.7 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 57% of the time.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is of
13.3 kph.
May is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
14.6 °C, with a minimum of
8.3 °C and a maximum of
21 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-1 °C. However, it dropped to
-6.4 °C in May 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
30.5 °C. However, it reached
36.1 °C in May 2020.
Precipitation amounts to
33.4 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 35 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 62% of the time.
The average humidity is 54%.
The average wind speed is of
12.6 kph.
June is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
19.7 °C, with a minimum of
13.5 °C and a maximum of
25.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
5.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-1.2 °C in June 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
33.5 °C. However, it reached
38.1 °C in June 1998.
Precipitation amounts to
40 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 16 hours and 30 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 11 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 68% of the time.
The average humidity is 53%.
The average wind speed is of
11.2 kph.
July, the warmest month of the year, is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
20.8 °C, with a minimum of
15 °C and a maximum of
26.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
8.5 °C. However, it dropped to
4.6 °C in July 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
35 °C. However, it reached
40.1 °C in July 2005.
Precipitation amounts to
55.8 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 16 hours and 0 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 11 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 68% of the time.
The average humidity is 59%.
The average wind speed is of
10.1 kph.
August is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
19.3 °C, with a minimum of
13.1 °C and a maximum of
25.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
5.5 °C. However, it dropped to
0.4 °C in August 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
34 °C. However, it reached
38.2 °C in August 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
31.3 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 65% of the time.
The average humidity is 57%.
The average wind speed is of
10.1 kph.
September is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
13 °C, with a minimum of
6.9 °C and a maximum of
19 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-1 °C. However, it dropped to
-4.7 °C in September 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
29 °C. However, it reached
36.1 °C in September 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
20.8 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 7.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 61% of the time.
The average humidity is 59%.
The average wind speed is of
11.2 kph.
October is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
5.6 °C, with a minimum of
0.6 °C and a maximum of
10.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-8 °C. However, it dropped to
-14.5 °C in October 2000.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
21.5 °C. However, it reached
26.7 °C in October 2004.
Precipitation amounts to
26 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 41% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is of
12.6 kph.
November is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-5 °C, with a minimum of
-8.6 °C and a maximum of
-1.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-22 °C. However, it dropped to
-35.1 °C in November 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
9 °C. However, it reached
14.8 °C in November 1998.
Precipitation amounts to
29 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 37% of the time.
The average humidity is 80%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
13.3 kph.
December is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-12 °C, with a minimum of
-15.9 °C and a maximum of
-8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-31.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-37.6 °C in December 2009.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
-1 °C. However, it reached
5.3 °C in December 2013.
Precipitation amounts to
24.8 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 0 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 3 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 38% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
13.7 kph.