Central Asia experienced an unusually intense heatwave in March that could have an impact on agricultural crop yields, according to an April 4 bulletin from World Weather Attribution.

“The extreme temperatures this year also coincided with the flowering of key export fruit crops and sowing of spring wheat in Kazakhstan, which may impact yields,” noted the NGO.

Temperatures hit record highs across Central Asia, reaching maxima of 30.8°C in Jalalabad in Kyrgyzstan, and 29.4°C in Namangan and 29.1°C in Fergana in Uzbekistan, and a minimum of 18.3°C in Shahdara, making it the hottest March night in Kazakhstan’s history.

“Especially 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,” said World Weather Attribution.

“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 even at 1000m altitude. Although the full extent of the impacts are not known at this point, early heat waves are known to have significant effects, as communities are often unprepared for such conditions so early in the season,” it added.

Researchers from the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, the US and the UK collaborated to assess to what extent human-induced climate change altered the likelihood and intensity of the extreme heat that was seen in the region.

They were able to offer a conservative estimate that human-induced climate change made the extreme heat about 4 °C hotter and about three times more likely. 

Agriculture contributes 5-24% of GDP for the countries affected by the heatwave, and up to 50% of the workforce, noted World Weather Attribution.

It noted: “Extreme heat affects agricultural workers disproportionately, reducing labor capacity, with over 230 million hours lost in Uzbekistan in 2023.

“Central Asian countries are heavily dependent on glacier-fed irrigation systems, adding an additional layer of sensitivity, as altered snowmelt timing reduces water availability during the peak growing season. 

“The study region has a very strong seasonal cycle with very hot summers and cold winters. March temperatures can therefore be very variable but temperatures as high as observed this year have in many places never been observed before. In today’s climate however, which globally has warmed by 1.3 °C, the 5-day maximum and minimum temperatures observed in 2025 in the study region are not unusual with a return time of about once every 3 years.”

Climte adaptation measures in Central Asia include adjusting planting calendars, using heat-tolerant crops and investing in resilient irrigation, the NGO said, adding: “Implementation varies, especially for smallholder farmers, due to resource disparities. While Kazakhstan and Tajikistan have integrated adaptation into national frameworks, and Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have Early Action Protocols for heat, the alarming rate of temperature increase in the region calls for an increased focus on adapting to extreme heat in the region. 

“Comprehensive adaptation to heat includes adaptation at all levels such as individual self-protective behavior and heat education (e.g. first aid for heat illness), city and systems level adaptation (e.g. urban planning that includes nature based solutions, Heat Action Plans, Early Warning Systems, health-system strengthening), and national level adaptation (e.g. disaster and climate change laws that include heat, national adaptation plans, social protection systems).”