Excursions on reserve Aksu-Zhabagly.

“Two things control men`s nature, instinct and experience”

Blaise Pascal.

Trip from Astana to Aksu-Zhabagly reserve.

Very continental, average temperature of coldest month is 4,9 Celsius grade, warmest month + 21,6 Celsius grade; average annual rainfalls 400 - 700 mm (up to 850 - 900 mm in high altitude), mainly in spring season.
Climate of reserve Aksu-Zhabagly sharply continental. Cold and snow winters are replaced in the hot and dry summer.
Daily fluctuations of temperature also are great, in mountains there are frosts average annual temperature of the coldest month (January) - 4,9 ', warmest (July) 21,6 ' in the summer. In a mountain part of reserve where cyclones are developed most strongly, continentality and dryness of a climate, in comparison with flat district, are considerably weakened.
Average annual temperatures of air in territory of reserve make 5.8 - 10.8°С. January, when average monthly temperature of air  continue in a foothill zone from - 2.3°С in the western part up to - 6.5°С in northern part coldest month is.
The absolute minimum of temperatures in a foothill part of territory in January was observed up to-34, - 38 With, in Small mountains - 32°С. During the winter period influence of a relief on temperature of air is most sharply expressed.
In a mountain part of territory of reserve take place radiating cold, a drain of cold air from mountains and     stagnation it in hollows. The top sites have a free exchange with an atmosphere and consequently are characterized more by a heat of air.
Such conditions lead to formation of inversions. Intensive rise in temperature of air begins with February by March, maximal which average value is reached in July: from +22.6 With up to +25.4°С in foothills, up to +17°С - in Small mountains.
Thus, the absolute maximum made +38-41 With - in a foothill belt, +30°С - in Small mountains a belt. During the years period there is more appreciable a reduction of temperature of air with increase of height above sea level.
For example, on western slopes Talass Ala-Tau the average monthly temperature in July at increase in height at 100 m decreases on the average, on 0.7°С. Dry semi desert and steppe mountain foothills, forests of treelike junipers, brush woods of creeping junipers, alpine meadows, snow and glaciers.

Authority:
Reserves of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2006. Under the general edition of R. Yachenko. The international union of wildlife management IUCN - The World Conservation Union. Geographical features (on Kerteshev, Vagapov 2001). Reserves USSR. Reserves of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Moscow "Idea", 1990.

Photos
Alexander Petrov.