December — the first month of winter and the final month of the calendar year — has begun in Turkmenistan. According to preliminary forecasts, this year December may be warmer than the climatic norm, while the amount of precipitation is expected to be slightly below average.

In Ashgabat, December traditionally ranks as the second coldest month of the year. The average temperature is around +5 °C. Historical records show that the absolute maximum for December was registered in 1998, reaching +33.1 °C, while the minimum was recorded in 1948 at −18.9 °C.

December is also known for having the least amount of precipitation among winter months — about 17 mm. By comparison, January usually receives around 21 mm, and February about 32 mm. The wettest December was recorded in 1953, when 60 mm of precipitation fell. On average, about 12 days of the month see some form of precipitation.

The prevailing winds come from the east, northeast, and southeast, accounting for about 50%. Northwestern, western, and southwestern winds make up roughly 30%.

One of the features of December is increased humidity — around 77%, which is only slightly lower than in January. Fog is also quite common during this period, the meteorological journal reports.

ORIENT