Bishkek weather in December
December in Bishkek: cold, a little rain, with reliable snow — one of the weakest months to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#11 of 12 months in Bishkek · #1184 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 49/100 (tier F)
- Days
- 4°C
- Nights
- -6°C
- Wet days
- 8
- Sun
- 6.7 h
- Humidity
- 64%
- Daylight
- 9 h
Traveller notes on Bishkek in December
Other months in Bishkek
Forum posters describe March in Bishkek as genuinely variable, with temperatures capable of swinging from around -9C up to 17C depending on the specific week, generally trending warmer as the month progresses. Posters are direct that late snowfall remains a real possibility even toward the end of March, and several specifically suggest early April as a more stable compromise for travelers who can be flexible on timing. Posters generally recommend layered clothing and flexible plans given how much conditions can shift within the same month. Posters generally rate March as a genuinely transitional, sometimes still-wintry month for Bishkek, with April offering a somewhat more settled alternative for those who can wait a few extra weeks.
September works in Bishkek — near 23°C by day, 11 at night, rain on barely three days — but the forum's real message is that the country is not one climate. Bishkek is the hottest place in the north and can still reach 30°C, while Karakol runs nearer 20 and Song Kul about 15 and is freezing even in August. If the mountains are the point, early September trekking is fine but genuinely cold at night, snow is not unknown, and the yurt camps are mostly packed up by the end of the month. Late September closes the northern hiking season; the south stays warmer and more settled.
Add your own note from Bishkek's card on the map.
Bishkek climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Bishkek in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Quietschool holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Bishkek's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherBishkek's best weather comes in May, June and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.
December coincides with Winter smog.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Bishkek in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Hazard
Winter smog
1 Nov – 1 Mar · usuallyCoal stoves in the private housing around the city plus an inversion in the bowl put Bishkek near the top of the world air-quality lists on winter mornings. It clears when the wind comes down off the Ala-Too and comes straight back. Source ↗
- Season
Ski season above the city
20 Dec – 20 Mar · usuallyThe bases in the Chunkurchak valley are close enough to ski on a day trip from a capital city, which is not a common arrangement. Lifts are old and slow, the snow is dry, and nobody queues. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Bishkek — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Bishkek?
Bishkek in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Bishkek?
- December in Bishkek: cold, a little rain, with reliable snow — one of the weakest months to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Bishkek on SeasonMap's comfort score (49/100).
- What is the weather like in Bishkek in December?
- In December, Bishkek averages a daily high of 4.4°C and a low of -5.6°C, with about 44.3 mm of rain over roughly 8.2 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Bishkek in December?
- Bishkek has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 54 in December.
- Does it snow in Bishkek in December?
- Bishkek sees roughly 20.3 cm of snowfall in December.
Within 300 km: Almaty's Ski season above the city around 1 Dec – 10 Apr.