Weather

Kazakhstan doesn't mess around when it comes to summer and winter. A July day in the desert will likely be around the 32°C (90°F) mark, plunging to about half that at night; fortunately the low humidity keeps the days from being too extreme. In winter the day might get to -9°C (16°F) before it dives to an icy -15°C (5°F) at night. Higher altitudes have little effect on the conditions, with barely warmer winters and cooler summers, though they do see more rainfall, particularly in the east around April-May. Snow starts to fall around November and the mountain passes fill with snow until April, sometimes even May.