Turkmenistan Weather Forecast

Turkmenistan is one of the hottest and driest countries in Central Asia, with the Karakum Desert covering approximately 70% of its territory. Summer temperatures in the desert interior routinely exceed 50°C, and Turkmenistan holds some of the highest reliably recorded temperatures in the former Soviet Union, with Repetek station logging 50.1°C.

Rainfall is extremely scarce, averaging just 80 mm per year in the desert and up to 300 mm in the Kopet Dag mountain foothills along the Iranian border. What little precipitation occurs falls mainly between November and March, with the long summer months being virtually rainless. Ashgabat receives about 225 mm annually, concentrated in the cooler winter and spring months.

The Caspian Sea coast in the west has a slightly more moderate climate with milder winters and higher humidity than the desert interior. The Kopet Dag Mountains along the southern border rise to 2,940 meters and intercept some moisture, supporting a narrow belt of more temperate conditions near Ashgabat. Dust storms and hot dry winds known as "garmsil" are common hazards during the summer months, reducing visibility and creating harsh conditions across the desert landscape.