Summer in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, is only halfway through, yet the city has already endured two record-breaking heatwaves. On 14 July 2026, temperatures soared to 39.5°C, surpassing the previous record of 35.3°C set 34 years ago. Earlier, on 23 June 2026, the city recorded 36.8°C, breaking the 36.4°C record from 1941.

Last week, temperatures remained around 36°C, prompting continued warnings via Kazakhstan's 112 emergency alert system. Across Kazakhstan, the heatwave pushed temperatures as high as 44°C in the southwest and between 45°-48°C in the south and southeast. The Kazakhstan National Hydrometeorological Service forecasts that this heat will persist through the end of July, with temperatures ranging from 35°-45°C in the country's hottest western and southern regions.

Social media has shown residents in southern Kazakhstan frying eggs on sun-heated surfaces as temperatures climb above 40°C. According to UNICEF, nearly three-quarters of Kazakhstan's territory is exposed to climate-related risks affecting human health.

Experts warn that almost the entire Central Asian region is experiencing more frequent and longer-lasting heatwaves during the warm season. Projections indicate Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan face the steepest rises in heatwave-related mortality rates in Central Asia in the near term, even under moderate climate scenarios.

Kazakh experts highlight the urgent need for heat-health action plans, emphasizing that every country, including Kazakhstan, requires such plans before the next summer season rather than during it. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that countries implementing these plans have reduced excess heat-related deaths by around 25 percent.

Environmental concerns extend beyond heatwaves. According to Sakenov, Kazakhstan's glaciers have lost between 14 and 30 percent of their mass since 1950. By the end of the century, as glacier reserves deplete, severe water shortages are expected. River flows in the Syr Darya, Ili, and other mountain basins will decline significantly, posing risks to water, food, and energy security across Central Asia.

This situation underscores the broader climate trend impacting health, water, and food security in the region, signaling that conditions are likely to worsen.

Sources