Almaty was hit by a dust storm on Wednesday as weather conditions deteriorated, shrouding the city in a gray haze. Residents took to social media to share footage of the extreme weather, according to infohub.kz.
The Threads account almaty_bez_filtrov reported: "A strong wind kicked up dust in Almaty today, reducing visibility. Forecasters had earlier predicted rain. Residents and drivers are advised to be cautious on the roads due to gusty winds and dust." The account also posted videos showing the city literally turning gray from the dust.
Residents noted that the dust was stirred up from streets under construction. Users commented: "What's happening with the weather in Almaty now? Is this a dust storm? I looked out the window and was amazed," "This is already the second storm in August, and allergy sufferers are really suffering now," "Indeed, I stepped outside and immediately went back in," and "You can't breathe either in the mountains or in the city."
Earlier, forecasters had predicted clear skies for August 31 in Almaty, with an average temperature of +23°C. Daytime highs could reach +34°C, with wind speeds of 7.5 m/s. On September 1, light rain is expected, with temperatures around +19°C, a maximum of +25°C, a minimum of +12°C, and winds up to 3.1 m/s.