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Climate in Kazakhstan


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Kazakhstan

Map - Kazakhstan

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Kazakhstan, a vast country of Central Asia, has a markedly continental climate, with freezing to cold winters, and warm to very hot summers.
Because of the huge distance from the oceans, the Asian continent cools down a lot in winter and heats up in summer. In addition, there are no obstacles that could protect the country from cold air masses of polar or Siberian origin in winter, while in summer, hot winds from the deserts of Iran and Afghanistan can blow.
As a result, both the highest and the lowest records are noticeable. In fact, in the north, the temperature can reach -45 °C (-49 °F) in winter and 40 °C (104 °F) in summer, while in the south, it can go from -30 °C (-22 °F) in winter to 45 °C (113 °F) in summer.

The clash between different air masses can give rise to strong winds and dust storms, especially in spring and in the south. In winter, on the other hand, the north wind can cause snow storms, but without great accumulation on account of the scarcity of precipitation.

The distance from the sea is also the cause of the aridity of the climate; in fact, the country is almost entirely covered by steppes and deserts. The rainiest part in the vast lowlands is the north (roughly above the 50th parallel), where precipitation exceeds 300 millimeters (12 inches) per year, mainly because of afternoon thunderstorms that occur in summer, while in the center and south, it drops to around 150/200 mm (6/8 in) per year, and to as low as 100 mm (4 in) or so in the area of the Aral Sea.
So, precipitation varies from north to south: the northern part, the rainiest one, is occupied by the Kazakh steppe (or Kirghiz steppe), while the central and southern regions are semi-desert or desert. However, precipitation rises again in the southeastern mountainous area.
Snow is quite common in the long winter months, but it's often light and not abundant. There are approximately a hundred days with snowfall each year on the plains of the far north (see Petropavl), about 60 days in the central region, and about 20 days in the southernmost part.

Index


  • North - Astana
  • Center-south - Atyrau, Aral Sea, Lake Balkash, Almaty, Shymkent
  • Mountains
  • When to go
  • What to pack
  • Climate data

The north



The north, which as mentioned is occupied by the steppe, receives a little more precipitation than the center-south, because it can experience some thunderstorms in the summer.
In the north, winter is long, from November to March, and freezing. Snowfall is frequent but usually light. The ground is usually snow-covered.
Temperatures remain below freezing for a few months (see Petropavl, Pavlodar), where the January average even drops below -15 °C (5 °F), and is close to this value in the capital, Astana. In general, at a given latitude, the winter temperature decreases as you proceed towards the east.
Summer in the north is pleasantly warm and quite sunny, although rain and thunderstorms are quite frequent.
The average in July is 20/21 °C (68/70 °F). However, heat waves can occur, during which the temperature can reach and exceed 37/38 °C (99/100 °F).
The sun shines quite often, although rain and thunderstorms are quite frequent.
Spring and autumn are very unstable seasons: in April and October, the temperature can drop below -15 °C (5 °F), but it can also exceed 25 °C (77 °F). The clash between different air masses can also cause strong winds.
Image of Astana
Astana

The center-south



In the center-south, winters are cold, although less so than in the north, while summers are hot or very hot. In the lowlands, the January average ranges from -10 °C to +1 °C (14 to 32 °F), while that of July ranges from around 23 °C to 28 °C (73.5 to 82.5 °F).
Except for the mountain ranges that are located along the eastern and southern borders, rainfall is very scarce and summers are dry, to the point that vast deserts are found.

In the west of the country, the area of the Caspian Sea is arid, and on the north coast, it's continental, with freezing winters and hot summers.
In Atyrau (formerly Guryev), the average temperature ranges from -6 °C (21 °F) in January to 27.5 °C (81.5 °F) in July, when the days are often scorching.
Precipitation is definitely scarce: about 185 mm (7.5 in) of rain or snow fall per year.
In Atyrau, the sun is not very frequent in winter, while summer is very sunny.
In the northern part, the Caspian Sea is very cold in winter (and can freeze at times), but in July and August, it gets warm enough for swimming.

Aral Sea

Aral, where it is located
Aral, where it is located
East of the Caspian Sea, we find the area of the Aral Sea, a former large lake, which was once fed by the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, but has partly dried up in recent decades on account of the exploitation of the same rivers for agricultural purposes.
In Aral (formerly Aralsk), which was a port before the lake shrank, the average temperature ranges from -10.5 °C (13 °F) in January to 27.5 °C (81.5 °F) in July. Winters are freezing, while summers are hot.
Here, the climate is desert, with around 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain or snow per year.
Image of Aralsk
Aralsk
About 200 kilometers (120 miles) east of the Aral Sea, we find the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which used to host the Soviet space program and continues to operate under the Russian administration; here, the climate is similar to that of Lake Aral, that is, continental and desert.

Lake Balkash

In the east of the country, north of Almaty, in the area of Lake Balkhash, a large lake, half fresh water and half saline, located at 340 meters (1,100 feet) above sea level, the climate is strongly continental, with an average temperature rainging from -13.5 °C (7.5 °F) in January to around 24 °C (75 °F) in July.
In Balkhash, a city located on the north shore of the lake, in a year, only 140 mm (5.5 in) of rain or snow fall.
In Balkhash, the sun shines very often in summer, but it shines for a good number of hours also in winter.

More to the south, on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, the average temperature in January is 0 °C (32 °F) in Aktau, and surpasses this value on the border with Turkmenistan. Here too, the climate is desert, with precipitation around 150 mm (6 in).
East of the Caspian Sea, the Ustjurt Plateau is desert, with very little precipitation, about 100 mm (4 in). It is cold in winter (in January, the average temperature is around the freezing point or a few degrees below) and hot in summer, when average highs are around 35 °C (95 °F), but with peaks of scorching heat, around 45/47 °C (113/117 °F).
About 200 kilometers (120 miles) south-east of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, we find the offshoots of the Kzyl Kum desert, which is very hot in summer.

In the far south, there are some cities located on hills, at the foot of the mountains, whose climate is affected by the altitude and proximity of the mountains.
Almaty (formerly Alma-Ata), the most populous city and the former capital of Kazakhstan, is located in the south-east, on the first slopes of the Tian Shan, and its altitude varies depending on district, however, the center is at 800 meters (2,600 feet) above sea level. Here, the average temperature ranges from -4 °C (25 °F) in January to 24.5 °C (76 °F) in July; there is often a large temperature range between night and day.
During winter, there can be cold waves, sometimes prolonged, and the temperature can plunge to -30 °C (-22 °F) in the worst moments.
Because of the location at the foot of the mountains, precipitation in Almaty is more abundant than in other parts of the country, and amounts to 675 mm (26.5 in) per year, with a maximum in spring, between March and May, when intense clashes between air masses occur, which is why spring is also a windy season.
Image of Almaty
Almaty

Mountains



Most of Kazakhstan is occupied by plains, or at most, by hills at an altitude below 500 meters (1,600 feet).
In the north, however, are the Kokshetau Hills, which reach 947 meters (3,106 feet).
In the center we find a vast plateau, called Kazakh Uplands or Kazakh Hummocks, whose altitude ranges from 700 to 1,000 meters (2,300 to 3,300 feet) south-east of Karaganda, and locally exceeds them: in the Kyzylarai massif, the altitude reaches 1,565 meters (5,135 feet) with Mount Aksoran.

The only important mountainous areas are the Tian Shan in the south and south-east (towards the border with Kyrgyzstan and China), which also includes the highest peak of Kazakhstan, Khan Tengri, 7,010 meters (22,999 feet) high, and the Altai Mountains in the east (towards the border with China and Mongolia).
In the mountains, precipitation is more abundant than in the plains; in fact, they are often covered by forests, although it depends on slope exposure (for instance, the Charyn Canyon, closed among the mountains, is arid). At high altitudes, above 3,500 meters (11,500 ft), there are large glaciers.

When to go



Since there is no month that can be safe from either the cold or the heat, it's hard to find the best time to visit Kazakhstan.

In the north and in Astana, in summer, from June to August, the average temperature is pleasantly warm, but you cannot rule out a few heat waves with peaks around 40 °C (104 °F).

In the central and southern areas, where the heat is more common in summer, and it's scorching often enough, you may prefer spring and autumn, in particular, from mid-April to mid-May, and the second half of September.

Around mid-April and mid-September, you can usually find acceptable weather conditions throughout the country.

What to pack



In winter: for Astana and the north, bring cold weather clothing, synthetic, thermal long underwear, a fleece, a parka, a wind jacket, gloves, and warm boots.
In the southernmost cities, like Shymkent and Aktau, you can wear lighter clothes during mild days, but it's useful to bring a scarf for the wind.

In summer: for Astana and the north, bring light clothing, T-shirts, but also long pants, a light jacket and a sweater for the evening and for cooler days; a raincoat or umbrella.
For the vast southern plains (Ustjurt Plateau, Turkistan, Shardara), lightweight clothes, loose-fitting and made of natural fabric, a scarf or desert turban, and a sweatshirt for the evening.
For Almaty, Shymkent, the Caspian Sea, Baikonur, the Aral Sea, and Lake Balkash, bring light clothes, a sun hat, a scarf, and a sweatshirt for the evening.
In the southern mountains (Tian Shan), at middle altitudes, light clothes for the day, a sun hat, a sweatshirt and a jacket for the evening, and hiking shoes; above 3,000 meters (10,000 ft), a sweater and a warm jacket for the evening; above 4,000 meters (13,000 ft), a down jacket, a hat, gloves, and a scarf.
In the mountains of the north-east (Altai), the cold starts at lower altitudes: at 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) you already need clothes for spring and autumn, like a sweater and a jacket.
It's better for women to avoid shorts and miniskirts, especially outside the big cities.

Climate data - Kazakhstan


Temperatures: °C, Precipitation: mm
Aktau
Aktau, location on the map
Aktau, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-3-328141921211693-2
Max temp.351017242932322619105
Precip.20101520151010105152020
Prec. days433322212245
Sun hours3558101111109642

Aktobe (220 meters)
Aktobe, location on the map
Aktobe, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-16-16-92814161471-6-14
Max temp.-8-70142329302922131-6
Precip.252530303030302015302530
Prec. days766665444668
Humidity81%80%80%61%51%47%48%46%51%64%80%82%
Day length910121416161614131198
Sun hours24579111097422

Almaty (800 meters)
Almaty, location on the map
Almaty, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-8-60712161917125-1-6
Max temp.03101823283030241782
Precip.35457011010060453530505545
Prec. days6791097743677
Humidity81%80%71%60%56%50%45%44%47%61%76%82%
Day length9101213151515141211109
Sun hours445689998643

Aral
Aral, location on the map
Aral, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-14-14-4613182018113-4-11
Max temp.-7-55182733343325164-4
Precip.1010151515101055101515
Prec. days333332211234
Humidity83%81%72%50%41%35%35%35%41%55%75%82%
Day length910121415161514121199
Sun hours46691112121210753

Astana (345 meters)
Astana, location on the map
Astana, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-19-18-101814151371-9-16
Max temp.-10-9-112212627261910-1-8
Precip.201520203540553020253025
Prec. days655577854677
Humidity78%77%79%64%54%53%59%57%59%68%80%79%
Day length810121416161614131198
Sun hours356810111198433

Atyrau
Atyrau, location on the map
Atyrau, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-9-9-2714192119136-2-7
Max temp.-3-17172531343225165-1
Precip.151015153015101010201515
Prec. days433443222344
Humidity84%80%74%58%50%45%45%46%52%64%80%84%
Day length910121415161614121199
Sun hours3558101111109642

Balkhash (340 meters)
Balkhash, location on the map
Balkhash, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-18-16-741117181692-6-14
Max temp.-9-63152228292821133-5
Precip.1510151015151555101515
Prec. days533333321244
Humidity79%78%74%56%51%46%49%47%47%60%75%79%
Day length910121415161514121199
Sun hours56791112121210754

Jezkazgan (370 meters)
Jezkazgan, location on the map
Jezkazgan, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-18-18-83914161470-8-15
Max temp.-9-72172430323023142-6
Precip.15151520201520105152015
Prec. days544444322354

Karaganda (545 meters)
Karaganda, location on the map
Karaganda, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-18-17-101712141260-9-15
Max temp.-9-80132025262619110-7
Precip.252525303545503020303530
Prec. days777677854689
Humidity79%78%78%61%54%50%55%52%53%66%77%78%
Day length910121415161614131198
Sun hours3568101111108543

Kokshetau (270 meters)
Kokshetau, location on the map
Kokshetau, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-19-18-100712141261-9-16
Max temp.-10-9-11120252524179-2-8
Precip.101015202545704525202015
Prec. days333467974544
Sun hours35689101086432

Kostanay
Kostanay, location on the map
Kostanay, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-19-19-111813151371-8-17
Max temp.-11-9-112212627261910-1-8
Precip.201520253535504025302525
Prec. days555576864666
Humidity82%81%81%68%58%57%64%64%64%73%82%82%
Day length810121416171615131098
Sun hours356810111097433

Kyzylorda
Kyzylorda, location on the map
Kyzylorda, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-10-9-1714192119124-3-8
Max temp.-21112128343534271870
Precip.201515202010555101515
Prec. days544432111244
Humidity78%74%61%45%36%32%31%31%36%48%68%78%
Day length9101214151615141211109
Sun hours45781112141211854

Oral
Oral, location on the map
Oral, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-14-14-73914161482-5-12
Max temp.-7-61152328302922132-5
Precip.252025253030402025352525
Prec. days766555544667
Humidity85%84%82%62%53%53%52%50%57%70%83%85%
Day length810121416161614131198
Sun hours345810101097422

Oskemen (290 meters)
Oskemen, location on the map
Oskemen, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-21-20-11061113104-1-10-17
Max temp.-10-71142227282721131-6
Precip.302530404050654030455040
Prec. days667778966898

Pavlodar
Pavlodar, location on the map
Pavlodar, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-21-20-11071315126-1-10-18
Max temp.-12-9014222728261911-1-8
Precip.201515152540553020252520
Prec. days654457865667

Petropavl
Petropavl, location on the map
Petropavl, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-21-20-120712141260-10-18
Max temp.-12-10-21020242523179-3-10
Precip.201520253545704530303025
Prec. days655567986787
Sun hours2468910986422

Qonayev (490 meters)
Qonayev, location on the map
Qonayev, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-12-9-1611161816104-2-8
Max temp.-21101925313332261881
Precip.202025354030351515253020
Prec. days556775532555

Semey
Semey, location on the map
Semey, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-20-19-101713151250-9-16
Max temp.-10-70152228282721120-7
Precip.152020152535502515203025
Prec. days555466854577
Sun hours3568101111108543

Shymkent (500 meters)
Shymkent, location on the map
Shymkent, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-4-238131719181372-3
Max temp.571420263234342820126
Precip.80908075552510510407575
Prec. days10109974211479
Humidity78%74%65%61%49%37%32%30%34%51%70%79%
Day length10111213151515141211109

Taldykorgan (590 meters)
Taldykorgan, location on the map
Taldykorgan, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-14-11-351015171493-3-11
Max temp.-2191924303231251880
Precip.353540404030302015355040
Prec. days666665533577

Taraz (650 meters)
Taraz, location on the map
Taraz, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-7-60611161816105-1-6
Max temp.241219253133322618104
Precip.303540504030201010303530
Prec. days667765322466
Humidity79%80%76%67%58%51%46%46%50%62%75%80%
Day length9101213151515141211109

Turkistan
Turkistan, location on the map
Turkistan, location on the map
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Min temp.-7-52914192019125-1-6
Max temp.261422293537352921114
Precip.252530252010500102525
Prec. days554432000255
Humidity79%73%63%50%43%33%34%32%36%51%69%79%
Day length9101213151515141211109
Sun hours46681113131210864



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 See also (cities or regions):
 Aktau
 Aktobe
 Almaty
 Aral
 Astana
 Atyrau
 Balkhash
 Jezkazgan
 Karaganda
 Others (expand)
 Kokshetau
 Kostanay
 Kyzylorda
 Oral
 Oskemen
 Pavlodar
 Petropavl
 Qonayev
 Semey
 Shymkent
 Taldykorgan
 Taraz
 Turkistan

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