Samarkand vs Bukhara: which is sunnier?
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan vs 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan · 214 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Bukhara is the sunnier overall: about 3,117 hours of sunshine a year to Samarkand's 2,936. Samarkand has the higher Sunshine Score in 5 of 12 months, Bukhara 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
| Samarkand | Bukhara | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,936 | 3,117 |
| Sunniest month | September (96/100) | September (98/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 13/100 | 12/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 54/100 | 39/100 |
| Rain / year | 318 mm | 138 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 9 (very high) | 9 (very high) |
Samarkand vs Bukhara month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samarkand | Bukhara | Samarkand | Bukhara | Samarkand | Bukhara | |
| January | 0 | 0 | 7° | 6° | 35 | 16 |
| February | 7 | 8 | 9° | 9° | 48 | 27 |
| March | 57 | 69 | 16° | 17° | 58 | 27 |
| April | 86 | 93 | 22° | 25° | 56 | 23 |
| May | 91 | 86 | 29° | 33° | 30 | 10 |
| June | 67 | 39 | 35° | 38° | 7 | 2 |
| July | 38 | 29 | 38° | 39° | 2 | 0 |
| August | 58 | 49 | 36° | 37° | 1 | 0 |
| September | 96 | 98 | 30° | 31° | 2 | 0 |
| October | 94 | 97 | 22° | 22° | 14 | 5 |
| November | 45 | 39 | 14° | 13° | 35 | 15 |
| December | 0 | 0 | 8° | 6° | 30 | 13 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar Bukhara · Apr Bukhara · May Samarkand · Jun Samarkand · Jul Samarkand · Aug Samarkand · Sep even · Oct Bukhara · Nov Samarkand · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Samarkand averages 13/100, Bukhara 12/100. Daytime highs are similar (10°C vs 9°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Bukhara (average score 83/100 vs 78). Bukhara is the warmer, around 25°C daytime highs vs 22°C.
- June–August: Samarkand (average score 54/100 vs 39). Bukhara is the warmer, around 38°C daytime highs vs 36°C.
- September–October: Bukhara (average score 98/100 vs 95). Daytime highs are similar (26°C vs 27°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Samarkand weather by month · Bukhara weather by month · Best time to visit Uzbekistan.
More comparisons: Samarkand vs Dushanbe · Samarkand vs Khujand · Samarkand vs Urgench · Bukhara vs Mashhad · Bukhara vs Dushanbe · Bukhara vs Urgench · all head-to-heads