Select units of measurement for the temperature and rainfall tables (metric or imperial).
Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours
The climate of Balkhash is
arid continental (according to the Köppen classification, cold semi-arid or steppe climate - BSk), with very cold winters and hot summers.
Balkhash (also transliterated as Balqash) is a city of 70,000 inhabitants, located in central-eastern Kazakhstan, in the region (oblys) of Karaganda, at 375 meters (1,230 feet) above sea level and at almost 47 degrees north latitude.
The city is located on the shores of
Lake Balqash, a lake of half fresh water and half salt water, located in the center of an endorheic basin, which receives water from seven rivers.
Precipitation 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.
Winter, from November to March, is very cold: the average temperature in January is about -13.5 °C (7.5 °F).
Due to the arid climate, snowfall is usually light. However, there are periods when light snow often falls.
During
cold waves, the temperature drops around or below -30 °C (-22 °F) every year. The record is -41.2 °C (-42.2 °F), set in December 1938. In January 1938, the daily average was -25.5 °C (-14 °F).
Summer, from June to August, is hot and sunny, with some rare thunderstorms. The average for July is 24 °C (75 °F).
The altitude and the presence of the lake moderate the summer temperatures a little, so much so that Balqash is not as hot as most other cities in central-southern Kazakhstan.
However, on the hottest days, the temperature reaches 37/38 °C (99/100 °F), and more rarely 40 °C (104 °F).
The record is 40.9 °C (105.6 °F), set in July 2005.
Balkhash - Climate data
In Balkhash, the
average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of -13.4 °C (8 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 24 °C (75.1 °F). Here are the average temperatures.
Balkhash - Average temperatures (1991-2020) |
| Month | Min | Max | Mean |
|---|
| January | -17.8 | -8.9 | -13.4 |
|---|
| February | -16.2 | -6.3 | -11.2 |
|---|
| March | -7 | 2.8 | -2.1 |
|---|
| April | 3.9 | 14.8 | 9.4 |
|---|
| May | 10.7 | 22.3 | 16.5 |
|---|
| June | 16.8 | 27.8 | 22.3 |
|---|
| July | 18.5 | 29.4 | 24 |
|---|
| August | 16.4 | 28 | 22.2 |
|---|
| September | 9.4 | 21.4 | 15.4 |
|---|
| October | 2.3 | 13.2 | 7.8 |
|---|
| November | -5.8 | 2.9 | -1.4 |
|---|
| December | -13.8 | -5.3 | -9.6 |
|---|
| Year | 1.5 | 11.9 | 6.7 |
|---|
amounts to 140 millimeters (5.5 inches) per year: it is therefore at a desert level. It ranges from 3.6 mm (0.1 in) in the driest month (September) to 16.6 mm (0.7 in) in the wettest one (November). Here is the average precipitation.
Balkhash - Average precipitation| Month | Days |
|---|
| January | 14 | 5 |
|---|
| February | 12 | 3 |
|---|
| March | 13 | 3 |
|---|
| April | 10 | 3 |
|---|
| May | 16 | 3 |
|---|
| June | 13 | 3 |
|---|
| July | 15 | 3 |
|---|
| August | 6 | 2 |
|---|
| September | 4 | 1 |
|---|
| October | 9 | 2 |
|---|
| November | 17 | 4 |
|---|
| December | 14 | 4 |
|---|
| Year | 140 | 36 |
|---|
There are on average around 3080
sunshine hours per year. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.
Balkhash - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
|---|
| January | 5 | 155 |
|---|
| February | 6.5 | 180 |
|---|
| March | 7.5 | 230 |
|---|
| April | 9 | 275 |
|---|
| May | 11 | 335 |
|---|
| June | 12 | 365 |
|---|
| July | 12 | 375 |
|---|
| August | 11.5 | 365 |
|---|
| September | 10 | 300 |
|---|
| October | 7 | 220 |
|---|
| November | 5 | 150 |
|---|
| December | 4 | 130 |
|---|
| Year | 8.4 | 3080 |
|---|
Balkhash - Weather by month
Based on the period 1991-2020
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-13.4 °C, with a minimum of
-17.8 °C and a maximum of
-8.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-29 °C. However, it dropped to
-35.6 °C in January 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
-0.5 °C. However, it reached
3.8 °C in January 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
13.9 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 55% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
15.1 kph.
February is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of -11.2 °C, with a minimum of -16.2 °C and a maximum of -6.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -26.5 °C. However, it dropped to -35.5 °C in February 1994.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 2 °C. However, it reached 5.9 °C in February 2002.
Precipitation amounts to 11.5 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 20 minutes.
There are on average 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 61% of the time.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 16.2 kph.
March is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of -2.1 °C, with a minimum of -7 °C and a maximum of 2.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -18.5 °C. However, it dropped to -28.9 °C in March 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 14 °C. However, it reached 21.7 °C in March 2002.
Precipitation amounts to 12.7 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 7.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 62% of the time.
The average humidity is 74%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 16.9 kph.
April is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of 9.4 °C, with a minimum of 3.9 °C and a maximum of 14.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -4.5 °C. However, it dropped to -10.4 °C in April 2015.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 24.5 °C. However, it reached 32.5 °C in April 1997.
Precipitation amounts to 10.1 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 9 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 68% of the time.
The average humidity is 56%.
The average wind speed is of 16.2 kph.
May is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of 16.5 °C, with a minimum of 10.7 °C and a maximum of 22.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 2.5 °C. However, it dropped to -2.6 °C in May 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 30 °C. However, it reached 36.5 °C in May 2020.
Precipitation amounts to 15.5 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 51%.
The average wind speed is of 15.8 kph.
June is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of 22.3 °C, with a minimum of 16.8 °C and a maximum of 27.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 9.5 °C. However, it dropped to 5.4 °C in June 2007.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 34.5 °C. However, it reached 37.1 °C in June 2007.
Precipitation amounts to 12.8 mm, distributed over 3 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 77% of the time.
The average humidity is 46%.
The average wind speed is of 15.5 kph.
July, the warmest month of the year, is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of 24 °C, with a minimum of 18.5 °C and a maximum of 29.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 13 °C. However, it dropped to 10 °C in July 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 35.5 °C. However, it reached 40.9 °C in July 2005.
Precipitation amounts to 14.8 mm, distributed over 3 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 49%.
The average wind speed is of 14.8 kph.
August is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of 22.2 °C, with a minimum of 16.4 °C and a maximum of 28 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 9.5 °C. However, it dropped to 3.7 °C in August 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 34.5 °C. However, it reached 39.5 °C in August 2008.
Precipitation amounts to only 6.5 mm, distributed over 2 days.
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 83% of the time.
The average humidity is 47%.
The average wind speed is of 14.8 kph.
September is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of 15.4 °C, with a minimum of 9.4 °C and a maximum of 21.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 1.5 °C. However, it dropped to -3.2 °C in September 2000.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 29.5 °C. However, it reached 37.6 °C in September 2010.
Precipitation amounts to only 3.6 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 80% of the time.
The average humidity is 47%.
The average wind speed is of 14.8 kph.
October is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of 7.8 °C, with a minimum of 2.3 °C and a maximum of 13.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -6.5 °C. However, it dropped to -11.5 °C in October 2000.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 22 °C. However, it reached 25 °C in October 1997.
Precipitation amounts to only 9.2 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 66% of the time.
The average humidity is 60%.
The average wind speed is of 14.4 kph.
November is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of -1.4 °C, with a minimum of -5.8 °C and a maximum of 2.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -16.5 °C. However, it dropped to -29.5 °C in November 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 11.5 °C. However, it reached 18.9 °C in November 2017.
Precipitation amounts to 16.6 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 53% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 14.8 kph.
December is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of -9.6 °C, with a minimum of -13.8 °C and a maximum of -5.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -25.5 °C. However, it dropped to -35.1 °C in December 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 2.5 °C. However, it reached 6.8 °C in December 2013.
Precipitation amounts to 13.6 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 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 49% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 14 kph.