Uzbekistan
23 cities
Climate overview
Uzbekistan (447,400 km²) spans 37°–46°N, 56°–73°E across Central Asia's arid heartland, forming the region's most populous nation (35+ million) with one of Earth's most extreme continental climates governed by distance from oceans, latitude, and stark topographic contrasts between the vast Kyzylkum Desert lowlands and the snow-capped Tian Shan and Pamir-Alay mountain chains.
The dominant cold desert climate (Köppen BWk) covers most of the territory, characterized by scorching summers (July highs of about 35–40°C, occasionally exceeding 45°C in the western deserts and the far south) and surprisingly harsh winters (January nights of about −8 to 0°C, dropping below −30°C in northern Karakalpakstan), with meager annual precipitation of 100–400 mm concentrated in winter and spring while summer and early autumn remain bone-dry.
The eastern Tian Shan foothills and Ferghana Valley rim intercept moisture-bearing westerlies (the country's highest point, Khazret Sultan at 4,643 m, lies in the southern Gissar Range), generating heavier orographic precipitation and sustaining montane walnut-fruit forests, alpine meadows, and critically important glaciers feeding the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, Central Asia's lifelines now shrinking due to accelerating melt.
Uzbekistan has experienced major climate and environmental events. The Aral Sea has lost around 90 percent of its volume since the 1960s, exposing more than 50,000 km² of lakebed. Muynak, formerly a fishing port, now lies dozens of kilometres from the water. The region generates an estimated 100 million tons or more of salt-laden dust annually. Termez has reached 47.0°C in July.
A severe 2021 drought sharply reduced Amu Darya flows. In winter, avalanches are a hazard in the Chatkal Mountains.
Our archive covers 23 Uzbek cities with daily ERA5 reanalysis data going back to 1940. The hottest July afternoons are in Tirmiz, with average highs around 40.2°C, while Nukus has the coldest January nights, with average lows near −8.1°C. Comparing the last decade against the 1940–1970 baseline, mean temperatures across these cities have risen by about 1.5°C.
How the climate has shifted in Uzbekistan
Average across 23 cities with full ERA5 coverage: 1940–1970 baseline vs the last decade (2016–2025).
- Annual mean temperature
- 14.4°C→15.9°C
- Days above 30°C per year
- 106 days→114 days+8
- Frost days per year
- 86 days→62 days−23
- Tropical nights (≥20°C) per year
- 46 nights→57 nights+12
Warmest year in the record so far: 1941.
What's unusual right now
From a snapshot of the world's largest cities updated each hour. Today's mean temperature compared with each city's long-term average for the same calendar date (ERA5 climatology, 1940 onward). Last 30 days uses each city's rolling daily-mean vs its monthly average. Not a global ranking.