In the middle of summer, Astana recorded an unprecedented phenomenon: on July 14, the capital of Kazakhstan reached 39.5°C, which exceeded the previous record for that date, in effect for 34 years, by four degrees. Just three weeks earlier, the city had already broken another record with 36.8°C.
As reported by the news agency Euronews, the national emergency system issued repeated alerts in the face of a persistent heat episode that kept thermometers near 36°C for several days.
Kazakhstan was not alone under this phenomenon. The southwest of the country marked 44°C and in the south and southeast, values between 45°C and 48°C were reported. The National Hydrometeorological Service anticipated that the high temperatures will continue until the end of July, with forecasts of between 35°C and 45°C in the warmest regions.
Health and social impact of high temperatures
An infographic details the historic heatwave in Kazakhstan with a record of 39.5°C in Astana on July 14, 2025, as well as its health and agricultural impacts.
Prolonged exposure to this heat raised alarms among the population and authorities. According to the nation’s Ministry of Health, there is still no national indicator that quantifies mortality caused by excessive heat. However, UNICEF estimates that nearly three-quarters of the territory faces climate risks that affect human health. A recent World Bank report warned that, in the absence of more rigorous adaptation measures, heat-related deaths could triple in cities across Europe and Central Asia by 2050.
More Read
We recommend reading:
The regional director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Europe, Hans Henri Kluge, warned Euronews that “forecasts indicate that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will experience the largest increases in mortality rates associated with heatwaves in Central Asia in the short term, even under moderate climate scenarios. Unfortunately, the situation is going to get worse.” According to the WHO, countries that implemented health and heat action plans reduced excess deaths by around 25%.
More Read
Institutional responses and changes in daily life
The phenomenon altered daily life and urban organization. In Almaty, the country’s largest city, the municipality increased irrigation and misting tasks to counteract the extreme heat. The news portal illustrated that, in the south, videos on social media show residents cooking eggs on surfaces exposed to the sun, with temperatures exceeding 40°C.
To mitigate the effects, authorities reinforced public alerts and health advice especially aimed at the elderly, children, and those suffering from chronic illnesses. The Ministry of Health confirmed that progress is being made in developing better methods to record and monitor heat-related mortality, although a national plan aligned with WHO recommendations is still lacking.
Accelerated warming, glaciers and resources under threat
The heat wave in Kazakhstan is combined with droughts and early snowmelt.
The recent heat wave is part of a trend of sustained increases in thermal values throughout the region. According to Kazhydromet—Kazakhstan’s National Hydrometeorological Service—the republic experienced its warmest year in history in 2025, with an average of 2.98°C above the mean. The number of days with temperatures exceeding 30°C and 35°C continues to rise, which increases the risk of droughts, especially in the south and west.
The Ministry of Ecology reported that almost all forest fires recorded so far have been extinguished or brought under control, although the threat remains. The early melting of snow causes early flooding in rivers, which makes it difficult to store water for irrigation in the drier months.
The consequences of warming go beyond the climate sphere. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimated that Kazakhstan’s glaciers have reduced their mass by between 14% and 30% since 1950. Saulet Sakenov, an analyst for the UNDP, explained to Euronews that although the melting temporarily increased river flow, a drastic decrease is expected towards the end of the century.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that Central Asia is warming faster than the global average. Its continental location, far from the oceans, multiplies heat absorption and complicates water resource management. For Kazakhstan, one of the planet’s main wheat exporters, the combination of extreme heat and drought threatens agricultural production and regional food stability.
