Turkistan (Hazrat-e Turkestan) is a city of 250,000 inhabitants, located in southern Kazakhstan, in the region (oblys) of the same name, 200 meters (650 feet) above sea level and at 43 degrees north latitude.
. To the west is the
, most of which is in Uzbekistan, whose border is about 180 km (110 mi) away from Turkistan.
(or Qaratau), whose highest peak, Mount Bessaz, is 2,176 meters (7,139 ft) high.
is decidedly scarce, since it amounts to around 200 millimeters (8 inches) per year. In particular, summer, a season in which thunderstorms occur in northern Kazakhstan, here is dry.
, from December to February, is cold: the average temperature in January is about -2 °C (28.5 °F).
However, unlike in northern Kazakhstan, southerly winds can bring mild air, so much so that temperatures can reach, and sometimes exceed, 10 °C (50 °F).
Due to the arid climate, snowfall (and rainfall when temperatures are above freezing) is generally light.
, the temperature can drop to -15 °C (5 °F) and even below. Occasionally it can even drop below -30 °C (-22 °F). The coldest record is -38.6 °C (-37.5 °F), set in February 1969. In that month, the daily average was -16.3 °C (2.7 °F).
, from June to August, is very hot and sunny. The average for July is 28.5 °C (83 °F). Humidity, however, is low.
On the hottest days, temperatures reach or exceed 40 °C (104 °F) every year, and can sometimes reach 45 °C (113 °F).
The hottest record is 47.9 °C (118.2 °F), set in July 1983. In July 2019, the average high was 39.4 °C (102.9 °F). Heat records reach or exceed 40 °C (104 °F) from May to September.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-2.3 °C, with a minimum of
-6.8 °C and a maximum of
2.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-17 °C. However, it dropped to
-28 °C in January 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
11 °C. However, it reached
18.4 °C in January 2007.
Precipitation amounts to
25.3 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 47% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
February is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of
0.4 °C, with a minimum of
-4.7 °C and a maximum of
5.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-14.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-31 °C in February 1994.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
15.5 °C. However, it reached
26.4 °C in February 2016.
Precipitation amounts to
26.2 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 53% of the time.
The average humidity is 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
March is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of
8 °C, with a minimum of
1.8 °C and a maximum of
14.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-6.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-18.5 °C in March 1994.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
25 °C. However, it reached
30.4 °C in March 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
31.1 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 53% of the time.
The average humidity is 63%.
April is generally a very mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
15.5 °C, with a minimum of
8.7 °C and a maximum of
22.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
0 °C. However, it dropped to
-6.1 °C in April 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
31.5 °C. However, it reached
35.9 °C in April 1993.
Precipitation amounts to
23.1 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 61% of the time.
The average humidity is 50%.
May is generally a warm month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
21.6 °C, with a minimum of
14.3 °C and a maximum of
28.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
6 °C. However, it dropped to
-0.6 °C in May 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36 °C. However, it reached
40.3 °C in May 2020.
Precipitation amounts to
20.9 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 40 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 11 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 74% of the time.
The average humidity is 43%.
June is generally a warm to hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
26.8 °C, with a minimum of
18.9 °C and a maximum of
34.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
11.5 °C. However, it dropped to
7.4 °C in June 2017.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
41 °C. However, it reached
44.5 °C in June 2007.
Precipitation amounts to only
8.3 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 20 minutes. So the days are long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 12.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 83% of the time.
The average humidity is 33%. Hence, the air is normally dry.
July, the hottest month of the year, is generally a very hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
28.5 °C, with a minimum of
20.4 °C and a maximum of
36.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
14 °C. However, it dropped to
9.8 °C in July 2014.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
42 °C. However, it reached
45.5 °C in July 2008.
Precipitation amounts to only
3.8 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 0 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 13 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 86% of the time.
The average humidity is 34%. Hence, the air is normally dry.
August is generally a warm to hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
27 °C, with a minimum of
18.8 °C and a maximum of
35.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
11.5 °C. However, it dropped to
7.1 °C in August 2013.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
41 °C. However, it reached
45.4 °C in August 2002.
Precipitation amounts to only
2.2 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 12.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 89% of the time.
The average humidity is 32%. Hence, the air is normally dry.
September is generally a warm month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
20.7 °C, with a minimum of
12.3 °C and a maximum of
29.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
4 °C. However, it dropped to
-1.4 °C in September 2000.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36.5 °C. However, it reached
40.4 °C in September 2010.
Precipitation amounts to only
1.8 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 10.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 84% of the time.
The average humidity is 36%.
October is generally a mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
13 °C, with a minimum of
5.1 °C and a maximum of
21 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-3 °C. However, it dropped to
-8.4 °C in October 2016.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
30 °C. However, it reached
34.6 °C in October 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
12 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 73% of the time.
The average humidity is 51%.
November is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
5.2 °C, with a minimum of
-0.7 °C and a maximum of
11 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-9.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-19.8 °C in November 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
21.5 °C. However, it reached
27.4 °C in November 2017.
Precipitation amounts to
26.3 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 58% of the time.
The average humidity is 69%.
December is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-1 °C, with a minimum of
-5.6 °C and a maximum of
3.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-16.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-28.5 °C in December 1995.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
12.5 °C. However, it reached
17.5 °C in December 2005.
Precipitation amounts to
26.3 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 0 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 44% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.