Astana is a city defined by extreme weather. For decades, its name has been associated primarily with cold: long winters, winds from the steppe, and temperatures that can drop to levels making it one of the coldest capitals in the world. Today, however, the capital of Kazakhstan is making headlines for the opposite reason.
On July 14, 2026, Astana reached 38.6 °C, setting the record for the highest temperature ever recorded on that date in the past 34 years. The figure, released by the national weather service Kazhydromet and reported by the Qazinform news agency, exceeded the previous record set in 1992 by 3.3 degrees, when the thermometer had reached 35.3 °C.
A value that takes on special significance precisely because of the place where it was recorded.
One of the coldest capitals on the planet
Astana’s reputation as a freezing city stems from its extreme continental climate. Located in northern Kazakhstan, far from the moderating influence of the oceans, the capital experiences extreme temperature fluctuations between winter and summer.
The average annual temperature is about 4 °C. January, the coldest month, has an average temperature of around -14.5 °C, while days with temperatures below -30 °C are not uncommon during the winter. The all-time low temperature was recorded on January 5, 1893, when the temperature dropped to -51.6 °C.
Summer, however, can also be marked by extreme weather events. The city’s all-time high temperature is 41.6 °C, recorded in July 1936. The difference is that today , high temperatures are becoming more frequent and lasting for increasingly longer periods.
Kazakhstan Faces Another Heat Wave
The heat wave that hit Astana was part of a broader event. In southern and southeastern Kazakhstan, temperatures reached as high as 46 °C, while several regions of the country faced conditions conducive to drought and wildfires.
According to Kazhydromet, 2025 was the hottest year on record in Kazakhstan, with an average temperature nearly 3 °C above the climate norm. According to the World Meteorological Organization, Central Asia is one of the regions where warming is proceeding faster than the global average, partly due to its inland geographical location.
The Heat Becomes a Public Health Emergency
The rise in extreme temperatures has direct consequences for public health. According to UNICEF, approximately 75% of Kazakhstan’s territory is exposed to climate-related risks that could affect the population.
The country has heat wave warning systems in place, but it does not yet have a national heat-related health plan that is fully aligned with the World Health Organization’s guidelines.
Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, explained to Euronews that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are among the Central Asian countries most at risk of increased heatwave-related mortality. According to the WHO, countries that have implemented specific heat-related action plans have reduced excess deaths during extreme heat events by about 25%.
Water and Agriculture: The Second Front of the Crisis
The problem isn’t limited to cities. Kazakhstan is one of the world’s leading wheat producers, and the prolonged heat, combined with water shortages, poses a threat to crops and pastures.
Furthermore, according to Saulet Sakenov, a climate analyst with the UNDP in Kazakhstan, the country’s glaciers have already lost between 14% and 30% of their mass since 1950. The decline in glacial reserves could have consequences for Central Asia’s major water basins.
