Tengrinews.kz — March 2026 in Kazakhstan was marked by record-breaking temperature fluctuations, ranging from severe frosts at the beginning of the month to anomalous warmth by the end. A temperature record that had stood for 109 years was also broken, according to Kazhydromet.
Temperature records in March
At the beginning of March, Kazakhstan remained under the influence of cold air masses from Taimyr, which led to severe frosts. Nighttime temperatures dropped to -25°C in the west, to -35°C in the northwest, north, center, and east, and to -20°C in the south.
On March 10, an absolute minimum for the past 100 years was recorded in Petropavlovsk: -34.3°C (the previous record, set in 1917, was -30.5°C).
By the third ten-day period of March, spring had firmly taken hold. New temperature records were recorded at several meteorological stations:
- March 21: Atyrau +21.6°C (previous record from 2001: +18.2°C), Aktobe +11.9°C (previous record from 2013: +8.1°C);
- March 24: Petropavlovsk +7.3°C (previous record from 1995: +6.6°C);
- March 25: Atyrau +23.5°C (previous record from 2023: +22.8°C), Kokshetau +10.6°C (previous record from 2001: +9.4°C);
- March 26: Kokshetau +15.1°C (previous record from 2009: +12.3°C);
- March 27: Kokshetau +16.5°C (previous record from 2008: +14.7°C), Petropavlovsk +14.5°C (previous record from 2008: +10.8°C), Turkistan +31.5°C (previous record from 2001: +27.1°C);
- March 28: Atyrau +24.5°C (previous record from 2023: +22.6°C), Kokshetau +17.9°C (previous record from 2008: +12.8°C), Petropavlovsk +17.0°C (previous record from 2023: +13.0°C);
- March 29: Uralsk +22.7°C (previous record from 2020: +18.9°C);
- March 30: Atyrau +24.8°C (previous record from 2023: +24.6°C), Zhezkazgan +24.4°C (previous record from 2008: +20.4°C).
Weather in the capital
In Astana, the average temperature in March was 3.5°C above normal, with the monthly norm standing at -6°C. The lowest temperature was recorded on March 1: -24.5°C, and the highest on March 31: +16.7°C.
