According to a new study by World Weather Attribution (WWA), in March 2025, Central Asia experienced an unusually intense heatwave, with temperatures reaching record highs across the region, reaching 30.8°C in Jalalabad in Kyrgyzstan, 29.4°C in Namangan and 29.1°C in Fergana in Uzbekistan, and minimum temperatures of 18.3°C in Shahdara, making it the hottest March night in Kazakhstan’s history.
From the 18 to the 22nd of March 2025, Kazakhstan, eastern Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan endured the most extreme heat, while the low-lying areas of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan also faced unusually high temperatures.
These countries are characterized by strong seasonal cycles, with summers typically very hot from May to August. However, March is generally much cooler in comparison. The early onset of such extreme heat likely took many by surprise, as the region is not accustomed to such temperatures at this time of year with highs exceeding 30°C.
Researchers from the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, the United States, and the United Kingdom collaborated to assess to what extent human-induced climate change altered the likelihood and intensity of the extreme heat in the region. Their analysis found that March temperatures can be very variable but temperatures as high as observed this year have in many places never been observed before.
The analysis estimated the influence of human-induced climate change and concluded that climate change made the extreme heat about 4°C hotter and about 3 times more likely. Adaptation measures in the region include adjusting planting calendars, using heat-tolerant crops, and investing in resilient irrigation, the study concludes.
