Kazakhstan continues to swelter under extreme heat. Kazhydromet has explained why temperatures have reached record levels and how climate change plays a role, reports infohub.kz.
According to Kazhydromet, air temperatures in some regions have already hit +40 to +46 degrees Celsius. The abnormal heat results from a combination of two factors: long-term climate change and the current synoptic situation. However, it is incorrect to say the heatwaves are caused solely by global warming.
Kazhydromet notes that the last few decades have been the hottest in 60 years of observations, and 2025 was the warmest year on record for the country.
"At present, the synoptic situation over much of Kazakhstan is determined by a stable anticyclone that prevents cloud formation, leads to intense surface heating, and brings hot air masses from Central Asia and Iran into Kazakhstan. As a result, temperatures in many regions have reached +40 to +46 degrees," said Tursyn Tillakarim, director of the Kazhydromet Research Center.
Kazhydromet stressed that global warming is not the direct cause of each individual heat episode, but it raises the overall temperature baseline. Consequently, similar synoptic processes today produce higher temperatures than they did several decades ago.
According to Kazhydromet, June was extremely warm for the central, southern, and eastern regions of the country. In contrast, western Kazakhstan experienced cooler weather. The average monthly temperature in June was 1–3 degrees above the climatic norm.
"In July 2026, the average monthly temperature over most of Kazakhstan is expected to be 1–2 degrees above the climatic norm. However, on some days, deviations in maximum daytime temperature may be significantly larger, reaching up to 5 degrees. By region, the most pronounced heat will be observed in the southern oblasts, central Kazakhstan, and certain areas in the southeast," said Tursyn Tillakarim.
It is still premature to say that the current heat is a record for all of Kazakhstan, the meteorologists noted. Climate records are set individually for each weather station after verification and processing of observational data.
Nevertheless, such cases are being recorded more frequently. According to the meteorologists, in 2025 temperature records were broken in Shymkent, Almaty, Turkistan, Taraz, Aktau, Kyzylorda, and other cities. In May 2026, new temperature highs were registered, including a record that had stood for more than 80 years. New records were also set in June.
During extreme heat, specialists recommend limiting time in direct sunlight, especially from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., reducing the intensity of physical activity during daytime hours, and following fire safety rules. Meteorologists advise monitoring official forecasts and storm warnings to stay informed about possible hazardous weather events.