BISHKEK (24.kg) — The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan has sent a weather alert. According to its press service, rains are expected in the afternoon of 9 and 10 September as well as snow in the mountainous regions. Rainfall will be intense in some areas of the regions of Chui, Jalalal-Abad, Issyk-Kul.

The westerly wind will reach 4-9 m/s with gusts up to 15-20 m/s in some areas.

A significant decrease in air temperature is expected. On September 10 and 11, air temperatures in the Issyk-Kul basin and in the agricultural zone of the Naryn region will drop to +3-+8°C at night, during the day to +12-+17°C, in mountainous areas at night at -2°C, during the day at +6-+ 11°C, in the highlands at night at -10°C.

Frost at -2°C is expected on September 11 and 12 in the agricultural zone of Talas, Issyk-Kul, Naryn, in the regions of Chui, Osh, Jalalal-Abad, Batken.

Such exceptional weather will complicate agricultural work, grazing and livestock grazing, vehicle work, communications, energy and utility companies.

The country’s climate is influenced chiefly by the mountains, Kyrgyzstan’s position near the middle of the Eurasian landmass, and the absence of any body of water large enough to influence weather patterns. Those factors create a distinctly continental climate that has significant local variations. Although the mountains tend to collect clouds and block sunlight (reducing some narrow valleys at certain times of year to no more than three or four hours of sunlight per day), the country is generally sunny, receiving as much as 2,900 hours of sunlight per year in some areas. The same conditions also affect temperatures, which can vary significantly from place to place. In January the warmest average temperature (−4°C) occurs around the southern city of Osh, and around Ysyk-Köl. The latter, which has a volume of 1,738 km³, does not freeze in winter. Indeed, its name means “hot lake” in Kyrgyz. The coldest temperatures are in mountain valleys. There, readings can fall to −30°C or lower; the record is -53.6°C. The average temperature for July similarly varies from 27°C in the Fergana Valley, where the record high is 44°C, to a low of -10°C on the highest mountain peaks.