Mashhad vs Ashgabat: which is sunnier?
🇮🇷 Iran vs 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan · 226 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Mashhad is the sunnier overall: about 3,221 hours of sunshine a year to Ashgabat's 3,046. Ashgabat has the higher Sunshine Score in 5 of 12 months, Mashhad in 3 (4 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Mashhad | Ashgabat | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,221 | 3,046 |
| Sunniest month | September (98/100) | September (97/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 32/100 | 49/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 75/100 | 42/100 |
| Rain / year | 184 mm | 196 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 10 (very high) | 9 (very high) |
Mashhad vs Ashgabat month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mashhad | Ashgabat | Mashhad | Ashgabat | Mashhad | Ashgabat | |
| January | 8 | 31 | 9° | 12° | 23 | 16 |
| February | 31 | 46 | 12° | 14° | 29 | 29 |
| March | 75 | 90 | 18° | 20° | 42 | 38 |
| April | 93 | 91 | 24° | 25° | 30 | 32 |
| May | 95 | 94 | 30° | 32° | 17 | 18 |
| June | 78 | 48 | 34° | 37° | 3 | 5 |
| July | 69 | 29 | 35° | 39° | 1 | 5 |
| August | 79 | 48 | 34° | 37° | 0 | 2 |
| September | 98 | 97 | 30° | 32° | 1 | 3 |
| October | 97 | 95 | 24° | 25° | 6 | 10 |
| November | 64 | 78 | 16° | 18° | 16 | 22 |
| December | 24 | 39 | 11° | 13° | 16 | 16 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Ashgabat · Feb Ashgabat · Mar Ashgabat · Apr even · May even · Jun Mashhad · Jul Mashhad · Aug Mashhad · Sep even · Oct even · Nov Ashgabat · Dec Ashgabat.
When to pick which
- November–February: Ashgabat (average score 49/100 vs 32). Ashgabat is the warmer, around 14°C daytime highs vs 12°C. See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Ashgabat (average score 92/100 vs 88). Ashgabat is the warmer, around 26°C daytime highs vs 24°C.
- June–August: Mashhad (average score 75/100 vs 42). Ashgabat is the warmer, around 38°C daytime highs vs 34°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Mashhad averages 98/100, Ashgabat 96/100. Ashgabat is the warmer, around 29°C daytime highs vs 27°C.
Full month-by-month guides: Mashhad weather by month · Ashgabat weather by month · Best time to visit Iran.
More comparisons: Mashhad vs Bukhara · Mashhad vs Sari · Ashgabat vs Sari · Ashgabat vs Urgench · all head-to-heads