WEATHER
Central Asia spans the area between the Caspian Sea and China. It includes five countries, all former Soviet republics. The largest and most northerly is Kazakhstan. To its south lies Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in the east, and to their south, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, respectively. The topography of this landlocked region ranges from vast plains to high, rugged mountains, which influences its weather patterns. Hence, Central Asia is home to multiple types of climates.
Factors
As its name implies, Central Asia sits at the heart of the Asian continent, far from any oceans. Mountains block moisture-
Mid-
The southern third of Kazakhstan, western two-
Steppe
The middle third of Kazakhstan, the western third of Turkmenistan and most of the western third of Uzbekistan are considered a steppe climate. A similar climate type is found in the northwestern portions of the U.S. Great Plains. This semi-
Humid Continental
The humid continental climate designation belongs to central and northern Kazakhstan, eastern Uzbekistan, central Kyrgyzstan and nearly all of Tajikistan. This area receives more precipitation on average than the rest of central Asia, at least 500mm per year. Summer temperatures can be sultry in the southern belt of this climate zone, but tend to remain cooler farther north. Also, summers tend to be drier than winters, which are quite harsh, with bitter winds and abundant snowfall.
SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT
TOURS IN CENTRAL ASIA