Climate

The climate in Kyrgyzstan varies regionally. The south-western Fergana Valley is subtropical and extremely hot in summer, with temperatures reaching 40°C (104°F.) The northern foothills are temperate and the Tian Shan varies from dry continental to polar climate, depending on elevation. In the coldest areas temperatures are sub-zero for around 40 days in winter, and even some desert areas experience constant snowfall in this period.

In Depth

The country's climate is influenced chiefly by the mountains, Kyrgyzstan's position near the middle of the Eurasian landmass, and the absence of any body of water large enough to influence weather patterns. Those factors create a distinctly continental climate that has significant local variations.

Sunlight

Although the mountains tend to collect clouds and block sunlight (reducing some narrow valleys at certain times of year to no more than three or four hours of sunlight per day), the country is generally sunny, receiving as much as 2,900 hours of sunlight per year in some areas.

Temperatures

The same conditions also affect temperatures, which can vary significantly from place to place. In January the warmest average temperature (-4°C) occurs around the southern city of Osh, and around Issyk Kul, a lake in eastern Kyrgyzstan that does not freeze in winter. Indeed, its name means 'warm lake' in Kyrgyz.

The coldest temperatures are in mountain valleys. There, readings can fall to -30°C or lower; the record is -53.6 °C. The average temperature for July similarly varies from 27°C in the Fergana Valley, where the record high is 44°C, to a low of -10 C on the highest mountain peaks.

Precipitation

Precipitation varies from 200 cm per year in the mountains above the Fergana Valley to less than 10 cm per year on the west bank of Issyk Kul.