Almaty vs Ili (Yining / Ghulja): which is sunnier?
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan vs 🇨🇳 China · 351 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Ili (Yining / Ghulja) is the sunnier overall: about 2,819 hours of sunshine a year to Almaty's 2,693. Ili (Yining / Ghulja) has the higher Sunshine Score in 5 of 12 months, Almaty in 1 (6 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Almaty | Ili (Yining / Ghulja) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,693 | 2,819 |
| Sunniest month | September (91/100) | September (93/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 4/100 | 2/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 79/100 | 82/100 |
| Rain / year | 468 mm | 273 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 8 (very high) | 7 (high) |
Almaty vs Ili (Yining / Ghulja) month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almaty | Ili (Yining / Ghulja) | Almaty | Ili (Yining / Ghulja) | Almaty | Ili (Yining / Ghulja) | |
| January | 0 | 0 | 3° | 2° | 23 | 14 |
| February | 0 | 0 | 6° | 5° | 29 | 16 |
| March | 43 | 46 | 14° | 14° | 46 | 16 |
| April | 81 | 90 | 20° | 21° | 77 | 30 |
| May | 83 | 90 | 26° | 27° | 64 | 30 |
| June | 86 | 90 | 31° | 32° | 46 | 32 |
| July | 71 | 72 | 34° | 34° | 31 | 34 |
| August | 81 | 83 | 33° | 33° | 24 | 20 |
| September | 91 | 93 | 27° | 27° | 22 | 17 |
| October | 81 | 84 | 19° | 19° | 37 | 21 |
| November | 15 | 8 | 10° | 9° | 41 | 26 |
| December | 0 | 0 | 4° | 3° | 28 | 17 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar Ili (Yining / Ghulja) · Apr Ili (Yining / Ghulja) · May Ili (Yining / Ghulja) · Jun Ili (Yining / Ghulja) · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct Ili (Yining / Ghulja) · Nov Almaty · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Almaty averages 4/100, Ili (Yining / Ghulja) 2/100. Daytime highs are similar (6°C vs 5°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Ili (Yining / Ghulja) (average score 75/100 vs 69). Daytime highs are similar (20°C vs 21°C).
- June–August: Ili (Yining / Ghulja) (average score 82/100 vs 79). Daytime highs are similar (33°C vs 33°C).
- September–October: Ili (Yining / Ghulja) (average score 89/100 vs 86). Daytime highs are similar (23°C vs 23°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Almaty weather by month · Ili (Yining / Ghulja) weather by month · Best time to visit Kazakhstan · Best time to visit China.
More comparisons: Almaty vs Bishkek · Almaty vs Aksu (Onsu) · Ili (Yining / Ghulja) vs Aksu (Onsu) · Ili (Yining / Ghulja) vs Kuqa · Ili (Yining / Ghulja) vs Bole · all head-to-heads