Mazar-e Sharif climate
Mazar-e Sharif (Afghanistan) has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh). The average temperature over the year is 19 °C67 °F, and about 179 mm7.0 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Mazar-e Sharif climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1152 | 235 | 644 | 261.0 |
| Feb | 1457 | 337 | 847 | 351.4 |
| Mar | 2169 | 847 | 1458 | 301.2 |
| Apr | 2780 | 1356 | 2068 | 210.8 |
| May | 3391 | 1966 | 2679 | 110.4 |
| Jun | 38101 | 2374 | 3187 | 10.0 |
| Jul | 40103 | 2577 | 3290 | 00.0 |
| Aug | 38100 | 2374 | 3087 | 00.0 |
| Sep | 3290 | 1965 | 2578 | 00.0 |
| Oct | 2578 | 1355 | 1967 | 50.2 |
| Nov | 1763 | 745 | 1254 | 291.1 |
| Dec | 1254 | 337 | 846 | 220.9 |
| Year | 40103 | 235 | 1967 | 1797.0 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58% | 64% | 2.3 | 9:54 |
| Feb | 58% | 67% | 3.1 | 10:48 |
| Mar | 53% | 64% | 4.5 | 11:52 |
| Apr | 47% | 62% | 5.7 | 13:05 |
| May | 34% | 44% | 7.2 | 14:07 |
| Jun | 21% | 34% | 8.0 | 14:39 |
| Jul | 18% | 29% | 7.9 | 14:26 |
| Aug | 18% | 29% | 7.3 | 13:33 |
| Sep | 19% | 28% | 6.2 | 12:22 |
| Oct | 31% | 38% | 4.5 | 11:11 |
| Nov | 49% | 52% | 2.9 | 10:09 |
| Dec | 56% | 60% | 2.2 | 9:39 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Mazar-e Sharif is like
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 40 °C103 °F and a low of 25 °C77 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 11 °C52 °F and lows 2 °C35 °F. Seasons are strongly marked: the warmest month is on average 26 °C46.8 °F warmer than the coldest.
It is dry, with about 179 mm7.0 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is January–March, which brings 51% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: May–October. The wettest month is February (35 mm1.4 in), the driest is August (0 mm0.0 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 18% in August to 58% in February. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 28%) are typical of September. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 6 km/h (4 mph) in January to 12 km/h (8 mph) in July. Daylight lasts from about 9.7 hours in December to 14.7 hours in June.
Best time to visit Mazar-e Sharif
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are March and April and October. Average highs then reach 21 °C69 °F to 27 °C80 °F. Precipitation is 5 mm0.2 in to 30 mm1.2 in per month.
The most challenging month is July, which is hot, with average highs of 40 °C103 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Mazar-e Sharif
- Winter (December–February) — highs 1152 to 14 °C57 °F, lows 235 to 3 °C37 °F, about 28 mm1.1 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 2169 to 33 °C91 °F, lows 847 to 19 °C66 °F, about 21 mm0.8 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Summer (June–August) — highs 38100 to 40 °C103 °F, lows 2374 to 25 °C77 °F, about 0 mm0.0 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 1763 to 32 °C90 °F, lows 745 to 19 °C65 °F, about 11 mm0.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
How Mazar-e Sharif compares
The nearest larger place is Dushanbe, about 251 km to the northeast. Compared with it, Mazar-e Sharif is on average 2 °C3.5 °F warmer. It receives 44% less precipitation (179 mm7.0 in vs 318 mm13 in). The difference is largest in May (2.9 °C5.2 °F warmer).
World Climates covers 11 places in Afghanistan. By annual mean temperature, Mazar-e Sharif is the 5th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 9th wettest. See all of them on the Afghanistan climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Tirmiz (Uzbekistan, BWh), Rafsanjan (Iran, BWh) and Bokhtar (Tajikistan, BSh).
Nearby places
- Climate in Balkh 20 km · 19 °C66 °F · 172 mm6.8 in
- Climate in Tirmiz 59 km · 20 °C67 °F · 169 mm6.7 in
- Climate in Kunduz 156 km · 20 °C68 °F · 219 mm8.6 in
- Climate in Baghlan 157 km · 20 °C68 °F · 246 mm9.7 in
- Climate in Bokhtar 194 km · 20 °C68 °F · 253 mm10.0 in
- Climate in Dushanbe 251 km · 18 °C64 °F · 318 mm13 in
- Climate in Shahrisabz 262 km · 17 °C63 °F · 290 mm11 in
- Climate in Qarshi 266 km · 17 °C63 °F · 226 mm8.9 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Mazar-e Sharif?
July is the warmest month in Mazar-e Sharif. Its average high is 40 °C (103 °F) and its average low is 25 °C (77 °F).
What is the coldest month in Mazar-e Sharif?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 11 °C (52 °F) and its average low is 2 °C (35 °F).
When does it rain the most in Mazar-e Sharif?
February is the wettest month with about 35 mm (1.4 in) of precipitation. August is the driest with about 0 mm (0.0 in).
What is the best time to visit Mazar-e Sharif?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are March and April and October.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 819 m, while Mazar-e Sharif lies at about 361 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +3 °C5.4 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.