Mild January: Winter’s coldest month was warmer than expected

January 2025 did not live up to its reputation as the coldest month of winter, instead being relatively warm, according to Uzhydromet.  

The average monthly air temperature was 0.5-1°C above the climatic norm in most regions, 2-3°C higher in the north, and 4°C above normal in Ustyurt. Cold waves were recorded in the first and third ten-day periods of the month, with temperatures dropping 2-3°C below normal, and on January 23-24, by 4-5°C.  

The second ten-day period of January was significantly warmer, with temperatures 1-3°C above normal across most of the country. On the coldest nights, air temperatures fell to 3-8°C below normal, reaching 9-14°C below normal in northern regions.  

During the warmest days, temperatures rose to 11-16°C in most areas, and in some southern regions, they climbed to 17-19°C. Notably, January 2025 was warmer than January 2023, which was the second-coldest January of this century (after 2008), but not as warm as January 2024, which ranked among the top three warmest Januarys on record.  

According to meteorologists, January 2025 was also exceptionally dry. Precipitation levels in most parts of the country were below 50% of the norm. The driest regions included Khorezm, southern Karakalpakstan, the Fergana Valley, and much of Bukhara and Navoi, where monthly precipitation was below 20% of the norm. Only in Surkhandarya and northern Karakalpakstan did precipitation levels reach or exceed the norm in some areas.  

In lowland areas, precipitation mostly fell as rain. On a few occasions, rain turned to snow, but snow cover failed to form in most parts of the country. Temporary snow cover (0.5 to 3 cm) was observed for just 1-2 days in some central and southeastern regions.  

In the mountainous regions of Uzbekistan, snow accumulation was recorded throughout the month, but overall snow cover remained below both the multi-year average and last year's levels. By the end of January, snow reserves in the mountains were 50-70% of the norm, while in the Kamchik Pass area, they were just 40%. Only in the mid-altitude areas of Bostanlyk district in Tashkent region (according to the Chimyan meteorological station) did snow cover reach the historical average.  

Fog was also a frequent occurrence in January, with visibility dropping to 50-500 meters in many areas.