At lower elevations, spring and autumn are probably the best seasons to visit weather-wise - in particular April to early June and September through October. In spring, the desert blooms briefly, while autumn is harvest time when the markets fill with fresh produce.
Summer is ferociously hot in the lowlands, but July and August are the best months to visit the mountains. Cold rains begin in November and snow soon closes mountain passes. The ski season at the Upper Ala-Archa Mountain Ski Base lasts from December to April. Winters are bitterly cold.
Altitude gives this country particularly dry weather, with harsh winters and punchy summers. A July summer's day typically begins at 30°C (89°F) and halves by nightfall. While in the midst of winter the mercury teeters and totters around 0°C (32°F) and gets as low as -24°C (-75°F), a deft spring soon warms things up.
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