Kazakhstan braces for thunderstorms and heat up to 42°C

Kazakhstan is preparing for a sharp deterioration in weather conditions: forecasters are predicting thunderstorms and rising air temperatures up to 42 degrees Celsius, according to Qazinform news agency.

A reading of 42°C is anomalously high even by standards of Kazakh summer, when the country's continental climate naturally inclines toward significant heat. By comparison: average July temperatures in the southern and central regions of the republic typically do not exceed 35–37°C, making the current forecast exceptional.

The danger of the situation is compounded by a combination of two factors: anomalous heat and thunderstorm activity. Such a combination creates elevated health risks for the population, particularly for elderly people and children, and also poses a threat to the country's agricultural infrastructure — crops and livestock operations. Thunderstorm discharges in conditions of dry and scorched soil are capable of triggering steppe fires.

Authorities and civil protection services traditionally urge residents of the republic to maintain proper hydration, avoid prolonged exposure to open sun during daytime hours, and monitor official meteorological warnings.