Kazakhstan: Almaty set for environmental reset as rain, wind clear air

Almaty, Kazakhstan's capital city,  is expected to see significant improvements in air quality in the coming days, as heavy precipitation and stronger winds help disperse smog and reduce concentrations of harmful pollutants, Tengrinews.kz reports, citing Almaty.tv.

Experts note that air quality has already begun improving since early December. Rain and wet snow effectively cleanse the atmosphere by “washing” harmful particles from the air down to the ground.

Ecologists point out that after intense precipitation, pollution levels can drop by up to 80 per cent within just a few hours, with PM2.5 levels showing particularly noticeable decreases.

Raydin Kasymov, director of the training centre at the Kazakhstan Chamber of Environmental Auditors, said that the lack of wind and limited precipitation earlier this year had worsened the environmental situation: “This significantly complicated the ecological situation and greatly reduced air quality.”

Meteorologists report that changeable weather with regular rain and wet snow will continue over the coming days. Temperatures are expected to range from slightly below freezing at night to above zero during the day.

Wind gusts and cyclones moving through the region are creating favourable conditions for dispersing pollutants. Precipitation is expected to continue on December 9, while strong north-western winds on December 10 will further help clear the air.

“Ahead of the north-western cyclone affecting most of the country, from December 8–14, we expect precipitation—mainly snow—blizzards, ice, and stronger winds at the beginning of the period. Towards the end, with the next north-western cyclone, forecasts indicate rain, snow, ice, low-level blizzards, stronger winds, and a gradual rise in temperature,” said Kazhydromet spokesperson Aruzhan Muratova.

By Vugar Khalilov