Ili (Yining / Ghulja) vs Kuqa: which is sunnier?
🇨🇳 China vs 🇨🇳 China · 283 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Ili (Yining / Ghulja) and Kuqa are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 2,819 vs 2,857 hours a year. Ili (Yining / Ghulja) has the higher Sunshine Score in 4 of 12 months, Kuqa in 3 (5 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Ili (Yining / Ghulja) | Kuqa | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,819 | 2,857 |
| Sunniest month | September (93/100) | April (95/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 2/100 | 0/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 82/100 | 74/100 |
| Rain / year | 273 mm | 94 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 7 (high) | 8 (very high) |
Ili (Yining / Ghulja) vs Kuqa month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ili (Yining / Ghulja) | Kuqa | Ili (Yining / Ghulja) | Kuqa | Ili (Yining / Ghulja) | Kuqa | |
| January | 0 | 0 | 2° | -3° | 14 | 3 |
| February | 0 | 0 | 5° | 3° | 16 | 3 |
| March | 46 | 48 | 14° | 14° | 16 | 2 |
| April | 90 | 95 | 21° | 23° | 30 | 5 |
| May | 90 | 94 | 27° | 28° | 30 | 10 |
| June | 90 | 83 | 32° | 33° | 32 | 20 |
| July | 72 | 65 | 34° | 35° | 34 | 16 |
| August | 83 | 74 | 33° | 34° | 20 | 16 |
| September | 93 | 94 | 27° | 28° | 17 | 8 |
| October | 84 | 87 | 19° | 19° | 21 | 5 |
| November | 8 | 0 | 9° | 8° | 26 | 4 |
| December | 0 | 0 | 3° | -1° | 17 | 2 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar even · Apr Kuqa · May Kuqa · Jun Ili (Yining / Ghulja) · Jul Ili (Yining / Ghulja) · Aug Ili (Yining / Ghulja) · Sep even · Oct Kuqa · Nov Ili (Yining / Ghulja) · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Ili (Yining / Ghulja) averages 2/100, Kuqa 0/100. Ili (Yining / Ghulja) is the warmer, around 5°C daytime highs vs 2°C. See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Kuqa (average score 79/100 vs 75). Daytime highs are similar (21°C vs 22°C).
- June–August: Ili (Yining / Ghulja) (average score 82/100 vs 74). Daytime highs are similar (33°C vs 34°C).
- September–October: too close to call — Ili (Yining / Ghulja) averages 89/100, Kuqa 91/100. Daytime highs are similar (23°C vs 24°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Ili (Yining / Ghulja) weather by month · Kuqa weather by month · Best time to visit China.
More comparisons: Ili (Yining / Ghulja) vs Almaty · Ili (Yining / Ghulja) vs Aksu (Onsu) · Ili (Yining / Ghulja) vs Bole · Kuqa vs Korla · Kuqa vs Aral · Kuqa vs Aksu (Onsu) · all head-to-heads