Weather and climate in Turkmenistan

In Turkmenistan, a country of Central Asia, the climate is arid continental. Winters are cold in the north and relatively mild in the south, wild summers are very hot and sunny. Being that the country is subject to different air masses, the weather is unstable, and there can be cold spells as well as heatwaves. The wind can be strong and can raise dust storms.
Precipitation (rain or snow) is decidedly scarce, as it is almost everywhere lower than 250 millimeters (10 inches) per year, and generally occurs from October to April. Summer is the driest season.

Much of Turkmenistan is occupied by the Karakum Desert, where the temperature in summer can reach as high as 50 °C (122 °F). The coasts of the Caspian Sea are desert as well, but they are milder in winter, while they are a bit less hot but more humid in summer. In the north, in the area which was once occupied by the Aral Sea, we find Lake Sarygamysh, a lake fed by a branch of the Amu Darya River and once part of the same Aral Sea.

In the south, on the border with Iran, we find some mountain ranges, such as Kopet Dag (or Turkmen-Khorasan), from whose slopes hot winds can descend, leading to rapid increases in temperature. Another mountain range, Köýtendag (or Kugitangtau), lies in the east, and reaches its highest point in Mount Aýrybaba, 3,138 meters (10,295 feet) high, which is the highest mountain of the country. On the other hand, no obstacles are found to the north, so cold air masses of Siberian origin can easily reach the country, from April to October, but more likely from November to March.

The climate in detail

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• The seasons
• Center-south - Ashgabat, Turkmenbashy, Esenguly
• North - Dashoguz
• When to go
• What to pack

The seasons

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Winter is cold in the north, while it is milder in the center and the south. The average temperature in January drops below freezing (0 °C or 32 °F) in the north, while it rises to around 6/7 °C (43/45 °F) in the south. However, cold spells can occur throughout the country.
Snowfalls may occur, but they are generally not abundant because of the aridity of the climate.
Summer is very hot everywhere: the daily average temperature in July is around 28/29 °C (82/84 °F) in the north and on the shores of the Caspian Sea, while it exceeds 30 °C (86 °F) in the center and south. The mildest area of the country is the south-west, where the climate is less cold in winter and less hot but more humid in summer because of the swampy areas that are found there as well as of the waters of the Caspian Sea.

Center-south

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Ashgabat

The capital, Ashgabat, is located in the south, at 240 meters (785 feet) above sea level, at the foothills of the Kopet Dag, from which strong down-slope winds, warm and dry, can blow all year round. Although these mountains are around 3,000 meters (10,000 ft) high, they are almost always devoid of snow because of the aridity of the climate.
Winter in Ashgabat is a bit cold but not freezing: the average in January is 4 °C (39 °F), and for long periods the temperature can be acceptable. The southern wind can raise the temperature to around 20/25 °C (68/77 °F) even in winter.
On the other hand, cold air masses from Siberia can sometimes cause waves of frost, with night temperatures around -10/-15 °C (5/14 °F) and sometimes even lower. The coldest record is -24.1 °C (-11.4 °F) and was set in January 1969.
Summer, from June to August, is very hot and sunny. Highs are around 37/38 °C (99/100 °F), but with peaks of 45 °C (113 °F) and more. The highest record is 47.2 °C (117 °F) and was set in late June 2015.

In Ashgabat, precipitation amounts to 220 millimeters (8.5 inches) per year, so we are at desert levels, but it's still more than in other areas on account of the proximity to the mountains. The rainiest seasons are winter and spring.

The sun in Ashgabat shines regularly in summer, while it is not seen very often in winter, however, some sunny day can always occur.

Turkmenbashy

Turkmenbashy (formerly Krasnovodsk) is located further north, on the coast of the Caspian Sea, but it's tempered by the waters of the great salt lake, so it has a similar climate. The average in January is 3.5 °C (38.5 °F). The average in July is 28.5 °C (83.5 °F), with highs around 35 °C (95 °F), but peaks of 42/43 °C (107/109 °F) are possible here as well. In August 2006, the temperature reached 44.5 °C (112 °F).
However, cold waves can also occur here, with lows of -15 °C (5 °F) or even lower. The temperature dropped to -20.5 ° C (-5 °F) in January 2008.

In Turkmenbashy, the annual precipitation, 125 mm (4.9 in), is typical of a desert climate.

The sun in Turkmenbashy shines for a good number of hours: 2,800 a year.

Esenguly

In the southernmost part of the Caspian Sea coast, near the border with Iran, winter is even milder, while summer is less hot but decidedly more sultry. In Esenguly, the winds from the mountains of Iran can lead to sudden rises in temperature, especially in spring. For example, at the end of May 2015, the temperature reached 43.4 °C (110 °F).
Cold waves are less intense than in the rest of the country, however, in February 2014, the temperature dropped to -13 °C (8.5 °F).

Even in this part of the coast, the climate is desert. In Esenguly, 190 mm (7.5 in) of rain fall per year.

North

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Dashoguz

In the far north, in Dashoguz (formerly Tashauz), the average in January drops to -1.5 °C (29.5 °F), while it's 29.5 °C (85 °F) in July. Summer is therefore still hot, and in the worst moments the temperature can reach 45 °C (113 °F).
Instead, winter is much colder, and waves of frost are more frequent, during which lows can drop to around -20/-25 °C (-13/-4 °F). In January 2008, the temperature dropped to -29 °C (-20 °F).

In Dashoguz, precipitation is very low, around 100 mm (4 in) per year.

When to go

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The best times to visit Turkmenistan are spring and autumn in order to avoid the extreme temperatures typical of the country, and in particular, the months of April and October, bearing in mind that in any case it can get cold at night, especially in the north, and hot during the day, especially in the south.
In the capital and in the south, where the hot season is longer, you can choose the periods from mid-March to mid-April and from mid-October to mid-November.

What to pack

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In winter: in Ashgabat and in the central and southern main cities, pack warm clothing, a sweater, a down jacket, a scarf for the wind, being ready to remove the outer layer in mild days, but also to wear warmer clothes during cold waves, such as a parka, a fur hat, a scarf, and gloves. In the far north, in Dashoguz and Lake Sarygamysh, very warm clothes are almost always necessary.

In summer: pack lightweight clothes, loose-fitting and made of natural fabric (cotton or linen), a sun hat, a desert turban, a sweatshirt for the evening, and a light sweatshirt for the breeze on the Caspian Sea shores. For the mountains, pack light clothes for the day, a sun hat, a sweatshirt and a light jacket for the evening, and hiking shoes; for the summit of mount Aýrybaba, a sweater and a jacket for the evening.

It's better for women to avoid shorts and miniskirts.

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See also the temperatures month by month