Ashgabat (or Aşgabat) is a city of 1,000,000 inhabitants, the capital of Turkmenistan, located in the south of the country, at 240 meters (785 feet) above sea level and 38 degrees north latitude.
range, which marks the border with Iran (which is about 25 kilometers or 15 miles from Ashgabat) and exceeds 3,000 meters (9,800 ft). In fact, the highest neighborhoods of the city are located at 400 meters (1,300 ft) above sea level, at the foot of the mountains.
is decidedly scarce, amounting to 220 millimeters (8.6 inches) per year. Most of the rain falls from November to May, with a maximum from February to April, due to the clash of air masses in spring, while in summer it almost never rains.
, from December to February, is quite mild during the day, though with cold nights, during which the temperature often drops below freezing. The average temperature in January is around 4 °C (39 °F).
Due to the arid climate, both rain and snow are quite rare, and in any case generally not abundant.
There are quite mild periods, during which the temperature can reach or exceed 15 °C (59 °F). When the wind blows from the mountains, the temperature can reach, and sometimes exceed, 25 °C (77 °F) even in the middle of winter.
, during which the temperature drops once every few years to -10 °C (14 °F), more rarely to -15 °C (5 °F). The coldest record is -24.1 °C (-11 °F), set in January 1969. In that winter, the daily average was -5.2 °C (22.6 °F) in January and -6.75 °C (19.9 °F) in February. Since then, the temperature has not dropped below -20 °C (-4 °F).
, from June to August, is very hot and sunny. The average in July is 31.5 °C (88.5 °F), with a maximum of 38.5 °C (101 °F).
On the hottest days of the year, the temperature usually reaches 44/45 °C (111/113 °F). The heat record is 47.2 °C (117 °F), set at the end of June 2015.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
4.4 °C, with a minimum of
-0.1 °C and a maximum of
9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-6.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-15.6 °C in January 2008.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20 °C. However, it reached
25.5 °C in January 2007.
Precipitation amounts to
21 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 9 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 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
9.4 kph.
February is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
6.2 °C, with a minimum of
1.3 °C and a maximum of
11.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-6 °C. However, it dropped to
-17.8 °C in February 2014.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
23.5 °C. However, it reached
32.6 °C in February 2004.
Precipitation amounts to
33 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 39% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.6 kph.
March is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
11.5 °C, with a minimum of
6 °C and a maximum of
17 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-0.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-5.4 °C in March 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
29 °C. However, it reached
38.6 °C in March 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
42 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 39% of the time.
The average humidity is 63%.
The average wind speed is of
11.5 kph.
April is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
17.8 °C, with a minimum of
11.8 °C and a maximum of
23.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
4.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-0.3 °C in April 1999.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
34.5 °C. However, it reached
39.6 °C in April 2015.
Precipitation amounts to
33 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 49% of the time.
The average humidity is 54%.
The average wind speed is of
12.4 kph.
May is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
24 °C, with a minimum of
17.5 °C and a maximum of
30.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
11.5 °C. However, it dropped to
4.2 °C in May 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
38 °C. However, it reached
42.5 °C in May 2001.
Precipitation amounts to
23 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 10 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 9 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 63% of the time.
The average humidity is 41%.
The average wind speed is of
12.8 kph.
June is generally a very hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
29.2 °C, with a minimum of
22.3 °C and a maximum of
36.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
16.5 °C. However, it dropped to
9.4 °C in June 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
41.5 °C. However, it reached
47.2 °C in June 2015.
Precipitation amounts to only
8 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 14 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 11 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 75% of the time.
The average humidity is 30%. Hence, the air is normally dry.
The average wind speed is of
13.5 kph.
July, the hottest month of the year, is generally a very hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
31.4 °C, with a minimum of
24.5 °C and a maximum of
38.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
19 °C. However, it dropped to
15.5 °C in July 2002.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
42.5 °C. However, it reached
46 °C in July 2015.
Precipitation amounts to only
3 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 11.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 79% of the time.
The average humidity is 28%. Hence, the air is normally dry.
The average wind speed is of
13.5 kph.
August is generally a very hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
29.8 °C, with a minimum of
22.4 °C and a maximum of
37.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
16.5 °C. However, it dropped to
9.5 °C in August 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
42 °C. However, it reached
45.7 °C in August 2011.
Precipitation amounts to only
2 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 11 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 83% of the time.
The average humidity is 26%. Hence, the air is normally dry.
The average wind speed is of
12.2 kph.
September is generally a warm to hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
24.5 °C, with a minimum of
17.1 °C and a maximum of
31.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
11 °C. However, it dropped to
7.3 °C in September 2001.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
38.5 °C. However, it reached
42.2 °C in September 2013.
Precipitation amounts to only
3 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 78% of the time.
The average humidity is 33%. Hence, the air is normally dry.
The average wind speed is of
11.2 kph.
October is generally a very mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
17.6 °C, with a minimum of
10.8 °C and a maximum of
24.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-2.3 °C in October 1995.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
34.5 °C. However, it reached
39.5 °C in October 2015.
Precipitation amounts to
12 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 7 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 63% of the time.
The average humidity is 47%.
The average wind speed is of
10 kph.
November is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
10.4 °C, with a minimum of
5 °C and a maximum of
15.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-2.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-11.1 °C in November 2016.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
26.5 °C. However, it reached
37 °C in November 1995.
Precipitation amounts to
23 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 5 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 52% of the time.
The average humidity is 66%.
The average wind speed is of
9.1 kph.
December is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
5.4 °C, with a minimum of
1.1 °C and a maximum of
9.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-5 °C. However, it dropped to
-13.2 °C in December 2012.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
21.5 °C. However, it reached
33.1 °C in December 1998.
Precipitation amounts to
18 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 9 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 35% of the time.
The average humidity is 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
9.1 kph.