Hail, squall, heat in the south: storm warning issued for almost all of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is issuing storm warnings for nearly all regions as a potent weather system brings a mix of heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, and strong winds. The forecast indicates a significant disruption to weather patterns across the country.

In Almaty, residents can expect rain overnight followed by lighter showers and occasional thunderstorms during the day, accompanied by northwesterly winds gusting up to 18 meters per second. The mountainous areas of Ile Alatau are particularly vulnerable, with forecasts of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and hail, and winds reaching 18-23 meters per second. An extreme fire hazard remains in effect for the region.

Eastern Kazakhstan faces a high risk of slope runoff and rising river levels due to predicted heavy rainfall between August 25 and 27. Mudflows are a concern in the Kazakh Altai mountains. The region will experience rain and thunderstorms, with heavy downpours, daytime hail, and squalls in the north, east, and mountainous zones. Fog is also forecast for the northern parts during the night and morning. Winds will shift from southeasterly to southwesterly, with gusts reaching 15-20 meters per second and up to 25 meters per second in some areas. Extreme fire hazards persist in the south, while a high fire hazard is noted in the northwest.

Other regions like Zhetysu and West Kazakhstan are also anticipating rain, thunderstorms, hail, and squalls. Zhetysu's mountainous areas could see gusts of 23-28 meters per second near the Alakol Lakes, with an extreme fire hazard remaining. Meanwhile, West Kazakhstan is also expected to experience intense heat of 35-37 degrees Celsius during the day, despite the threat of storms, with extreme fire hazards also present.