The Climate of Kyrgyzstan
Nature of Kyrgyzstan
The best elixir of health is nature. Walks through picturesque forested gorges and relaxation by the shores of a beautiful lake are the best ways to restore and maintain health. Humans have always sought to study the impact of various climatic factors on the body and to use their beneficial effects to strengthen it. The mechanism of action of climatic factors is based on the reflex-humoral principle, where climatic factors, by acting on receptors, reflexively influence the vital activity of the entire organism.
The mechanism of action of climatic factors is based on the reflex-humoral principle, where climatic factors, by acting on receptors, reflexively influence the vital activity of the entire organism.
The use of the influence of various meteorological factors and the characteristics of the climate of a given area, as well as special climatic effects for therapeutic and preventive purposes, is called climatotherapy.
Mountains, forests, mountain-marine and mountain-forest climates, mountain rivers and lakes are the greatest gifts of nature, the key to health and vitality.
The geographical location of Kyrgyzstan provides it with a unique climate. The distance to the nearest ocean (about 3,000 km) determines the overall aridity and continentality of the climate. The presence of high mountains creates conditions for the formation of diverse local climates: from an excess of heat and a lack of moisture in the foothill plains to an excess of moisture and a lack of heat in the high mountains.
The average annual duration of sunshine ranges from 2500 to 2800 hours (in Moscow, this figure is about 1600 hours). The stable summer season begins in May. The remoteness of Kyrgyzstan from oceans and seas, along with its proximity to deserts, determines the overall character of the climate, which is characterized by continentality, low precipitation, and a large amount of solar heat. However, mountains play a huge role in climate formation: they contribute to the formation of lower temperatures and increased precipitation compared to plains. The large variation in altitude and the complexity of the terrain create special local climatic conditions and determine a clearly expressed vertical climatic zonation:
- foothill valley zone (500-1200 m) is characterized by hot summers and moderately cool winters with low precipitation. The average temperature in July is 22-28°, in January - -3...-50;
- mid-mountain zone (900-2200 m) is characterized by warm summers and moderately cold, stable snowy winters. The average temperature in July is 18-19°, in January - -7...-8°;
- high mountain zone (2000-3500 m) is characterized by cool summers and cold snowy winters. The average temperature in July is 11-16°, in January - -8...-10°. Winter lasts from November to March;
- snow zone (above 3500 m) is characterized by a harsh, very cold climate. The average temperature in July at lower altitudes is 4-7°, in January - -10...-22°.
The warmest areas are the plains of Osh and Jalal-Abad regions, where the average annual temperature is 12°.
The most severe climatic conditions are found in the basins of Lake Son-Kul, Chatyr-Kul, the Aksai and Alai valleys.
Early in the morning and late in the evening, the mountain peaks look very beautiful, shimmering with silver, and on a moonlit night, they appear even more attractive and majestic. The mountains give the nature of the republic a mysterious and unique color, and they are magically beautiful at different times of the day and seasons of the year.
Common features of the climate of Kyrgyzstan include: continentality, low atmospheric precipitation, dry air, and low cloudiness. On the territory of the Republic, one can see a transition from the climate of the subtropics in the Fergana Valley, semi-deserts in the Chuy Valley, to the climate of polar regions in the high mountain areas.
In winter, there is a lot of snow in the mountains. The intermountain basins, however, are often low in snow (Kochkor, western Issyk-Kul). Spring in Kyrgyzstan is warm, rainy, but with frequent returns of cold. Summer is hot and dry. The first half of autumn is dry and moderately warm, but later rains begin and the temperature drops significantly.
All climatic resources combined with various natural factors can be divided into two main groups:
1) summer recreational-climatic resources (sun, water, beaches, etc.) used for recreation and leisure;
2) winter resources (sun, snow, and other factors) necessary for organizing skiing and tourism.
The region of Lake Issyk-Kul has the greatest summer climatic resources, as summer at Issyk-Kul is much more comfortable than in most major cities of the Central Asian region.
Magnificent sandy beaches, clean mountain-marine air, mild climate, numerous thermomineral springs, and reserves of therapeutic mud make the Issyk-Kul basin the richest health resort and a pilgrimage site for tourists.
However, it is unlikely that a large number of foreigners will come to Kyrgyzstan just for a vacation by the lake; the proposed programs should be comprehensive in resource diversity. For example, after climbing and hiking in the Tien Shan, it would be successful to offer several days of relaxation on the beach.
As for winter sports, the greatest opportunities for developing this type of tourism are found on the slopes of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too mountains, located near the city of Bishkek. Several ski centers operate here, organizing active winter recreation. The most popular are: Kashka-Suu, Oruu-Sai, and Norus. It should be noted that the consumer of this tourist product is and will remain the domestic market, as Kyrgyzstan will not be able to compete with world winter resorts and ski centers in the distant future, where the level of demand and infrastructure is very high.
However, Kyrgyzstan can offer an extreme skiing product called "Heliski" - descents from mountain peaks and ridges.
The "Heliski" programs (ski descents) are conducted using MI-8 MTB helicopters. These machines can land in mountainous areas at altitudes of up to 5000 m, carrying up to 10 people, and up to 4500 m, carrying up to 15 people. The main locations for Heliski in Kyrgyzstan are the Kyrgyz Ala-Too, Terskey Ala-Too, Kungoy Ala-Too, and Akshyirak ridges.
Precipitation across the territory is uneven. In the Western Tien Shan, in the Fergana Range, the annual precipitation reaches 1500 mm, mostly falling in the cold season. In the Northern Tien Shan, the maximum precipitation occurs in summer, with annual totals ranging from 600 to 1500 mm. In the Inner Tien Shan, the average annual precipitation is 200-400 mm, mainly in the warm season.
The annual temperature amplitude in Kyrgyzstan reaches 80°. It is warmest in the Fergana Basin, in the Chuy and Talas valleys. The average annual temperature here is 10-13°, the average temperature in July is 25° and higher, while the absolute maximum reaches 42°. In the high mountains, average July temperatures vary from 5 to 15° Celsius.
The average January temperature is negative everywhere: in low valleys - from 4 to 9° frost, in mid-mountain areas - from 10 to 20, and in high mountains - minus 28°. The "pole of cold" in Kyrgyzstan is considered to be the Aksai Basin, where the absolute minimum temperature recorded is -53.6°.
The duration of sunshine in Kyrgyzstan is significant. It ranges from 1700 (in narrow valleys) to 2965 (on the ridges of Upper Naryn) hours per year. In the resort area of Pre-Issyk-Kul, it amounts to 2670 - 2880 hours per year.
