Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine
In Tajikistan, a country in Central Asia, the climate is
arid continental below 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), where the main cities are located, with cold winters in the north and slightly milder in the center-south, and very hot, sunny summers everywhere.
In the mountains, instead, the climate becomes colder as the altitude increases.
Precipitation (rain or snow) is scarce in large areas. The driest areas are the Fergana valley to the north and the plateau near the border with China and Pakistan to the east, where rainfall ranges from 50 to 200 millimeters (2 to 8 inches) per year, and the landscape is decidedly desert. The areas at the foot of the mountains, which also include the capital, are a bit rainier, receiving 400 to 600 mm (15 to 23 in) per year. The most humid areas are the highest mountains, which receive up to 1,000/1,200 mm (40/47 mm) per year.
In fact, the mountain ranges (Alaj-Turkestan in the northwest, Pamir in the east-central) receive
abundant snow in winter, which later, when it melts, feeds the rivers, and in particular, the two great rivers of Central Asia,
Amu Darya in the south and
Syr Darya in the north. At high altitudes, there are extensive glaciers and snowfields.
The clash of air masses can cause
wind storms, especially in the period from November to April. The
Afghanets can bring dust storms from Afghanistan. In the valleys, a down-slope, warm and dry wind, called
Harmsil, can blow. In the eastern part of the country, which is affected by the Asian monsoon, the wind can bring dust storms also in summer.
The climate in detail
The west
In the west, we find the main cities of the country.
Winter is cold in the north and relatively mild in the center-south. In fact, average temperatures in January are of 1.5 °C (34.5 °F) in the north, in
Khujand, located at 350 meters (1,150 feet) above sea level in the mouth of the Fergana valley, where the winter is therefore cold, while they are milder in the central-south, in fact they are of 4 °C (39 °F) in the capital,
Dushanbe, located in the center-west at 800 meters (2,600 feet) above sea level, and of 5.5 °C (42 °F) in
Bokhtar (formerly Qurghonteppa), located in the south-west at 400 meters (1,300 feet) above sea level.
In the main cities, usually located in a valley, in stable periods,
fog can form in winter.
During
cold waves, temperatures can drop to -10 °C (14 °F) or below. The records are below -20 °C (-4 °F).
Summer is definitely hot, in fact, the averages in July range from 27 to 29 °C (81 to 84 °F).
During
heat waves, temperatures can exceed 40 °C (104 °F), and sometimes reach 42/43 °C (108/109 °F).
Pamir
The eastern part of Tajikistan (
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region) is occupied by the spectacular mountainous region of
Pamir, the "roof of the world", whose highest point is the Ismoil Somoni Peak (formerly Communism Peak), 7,495 meters (24,590 feet) high.
The vast plateau is
cold, desert and windswept, but in the vast areas located above 4,500 meters (14,800 ft), snowfalls are frequent, and above 5,000 meters (16,500 ft) there are large snowfields and glaciers (among them the huge
Fedchenko Glacier). In addition, in the summer, some brief showers may occur, also because the east of the country is partly affected by the Asian monsoon.
The region is crossed by the
Pamir Highway, one of the highest highways in the world, whose conditions, however, are often not good.
At the
Ak-Bajtal Pass, the highest pass on the Pamir Highway, at 4,655 meters (15,272 ft) above sea level, the winter is long and freezing, with night temperatures below -20 °C (-4 °F) in January and February. In May, the minimum temperatures still drop below freezing. In summer, in July and August, daytime temperatures are 15/16 °C (59/61 °F), while at night they are a few degrees above freezing.
More to the north, near the shores of
Lake Karakul, at 3,900 meters (12,800 ft) above sea level, and to the south, near
Lake Zorkul, at 4,100 meters (13,500 ft), the conditions are similar, so there mild days and cold nights in summer, and the lake breeze during the day can increase the feeling of cold.
Pamir is grooved by
deep valleys through which rivers flow. In the west, we find
Khorog (or Chorugh), the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Region, which is located at 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) above sea level, in the valley of the Panj River, and has a continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers: the daily average temperature ranges from -6 °C (21 °F) in January to 22.5 °C (72.5 °F) in July and August.
Here, you can go from May to mid-October, bearing in mind that it could be hot during the day in July and August, and cold at night in May and September-October, when the temperature at night can hit freezing.
When to go
The best times to visit Tajikistan are
spring and autumn in order to avoid the weather extremes, and in particular, the months of April and October. Between the two, October is preferable because it is less rainy, especially in Dushanbe and in non-desert areas, however, in these two months, it can sometimes be cold at night and hot during the day as well.
On the other hand, the
summer is preferable for hiking at high altitudes, since it is the only season when the temperature exceeds freezing.
What to pack
In
winter: in Dushanbe and the major cities, below a thousand meters (3,300 feet), pack warm clothes, such as a sweater, a down jacket, a hat, a scarf, and gloves; some lighter clothes for mild days, and a scarf for the wind. In Pamir and high mountains, cold weather clothing, synthetic, thermal long underwear, a fleece, a parka, a wind jacket, and warm boots.
In
summer: in Dushanbe and the major cities, below a thousand meters (3,300 feet), pack lightweight clothes, made of natural fabric (cotton or linen), a sun hat, a scarf for the wind, and a sweatshirt for the evening. In the mountains, at intermediate altitudes, light clothes for the day, a sun hat, a sweatshirt and a light jacket for the evening, and hiking shoes; above 3,000 meters (9,800 ft), a sweater and a jacket for the evening; above 4,000 meters (13,000 ft), a down jacket, a hat, gloves, and a scarf.
It's better for women to avoid shorts and miniskirts.
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temperatures month by month