ALTITUDE AND ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES

ARMENIA -Mount Aragats, which is 13,419 feet (4,090 m) above sea level, is the highest peakMount Aragats, which is 13,419 feet (4,090 m) above sea level, is the highest peak. -The climate, except at high elevations, is marked by scant precipitation, hot summers, and cold winters. AZERBAIJAN -HighestBazardyuzyu, 14,652 ft (4,466 m) above sea level. LowestCoast of Caspian Sea, 92 ft (28 m) below sea level. -Except in the subtropical Lenkoran Lowland, south of the Kura River's mouth, Azerbaijan has a dry climate marked by hot summers and cool to cold winters. GEORGIA -Elevation: HighestMount Shkhara, 17,163 ft (5,201 m) above sea level. Lowestsea level along the coast - Rainfall here averages 40 to 80 inches (1,000 to 2,000 mm). The valleys and plateaus have colder winters and less precipitation. In the mountains, snow and ice are present the year round above 11,800 feet (3,600 m). KYRGYZSTAN -Elevation: HighestPeak Pobedy, 24,406 ft. (7,439 m) above sea level. LowestNaryn river at the western border, 1,640 ft. (500 m) above sea level. - The geographical situation determines the climatic conditions of Kyrghyzstan. The major part of the territory lies within the bounds of the temperate zone and only the southern part belongs to the subtropic zone. Location in the centre of the hugest Earth continent - Euroasia, remoteness from oceans and seas, vicinity of deserts are the factors to give continental and drought features to the climate and to shape seasons sharp. The significant relief difference and the presence of as large lake as Issyk-Kul is vary the climate from sharp continental to close to marine. Kyrgyzstan has a continental climate with relatively little rainfall. It averages 247 sunny days a year. In the summer in the mountains the mornings are generally fine and the afternoons hazy with occasional rain. In the lowlands the temperature ranges between -4/-6C (21-24F) in January to 16-24C (61-75F) in July. In the highlands the temperatures range from -14/-20C in January to 8-12C (46-54F) in July. There are heavy snowfalls during winter. KAZAKHSTAN

- Elevation:HighestMount Tengri, 20,991 ft (6,398 m) above sea level. LowestKaragiye Depression, 433 ft (132 m) below sea level - Since there is no large water body to moderate tempera- tures,Kazakhstan is subject to drastic temperature variations during the year. Summers are hot, with temperatures often climbing over 90 F (32 C) throughout much of the country and soaring as high as 110 F (43 C) in the southwestern deserts. Winter temperatures often fall well below zero (18 C). During the winter, when frigid, highpressure Siberian air masses penetrate the region, temperatures in the north can drop to 50 F below zero (46 C). The continental climate allows the stabilization of air masses over Kazakhstan for long periods of time. This condition often provides for clear days with a lot of sun. The average annual number of sunny days for most of Kazakhstan is 200. Tajikistan - lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni (Pik Imeni Ismail Samani) 7,495 m - Continental with sharp variations in daily and seasonal temperatures, featuring high-intensity solar radiation, aridity, clear skies and an uneven distribution of precipitation between the seasons. The ruggedness of the terrain plays an important role in the distribution of heat and moisture. Rainfall and air temperature differ drastically depending on the elevation and location of mountains. In Central Tajikistan, at altitudes of 1,500-2,000m, the annual rainfall is 1,800mm, while in the south of the country, at altitudes of 300 - 500m it drops to 200mm. In the Eastern Pamirs, at 4,000m altitude, the average is only 60mm. There are about 275 sunny days per year.

Turkmenistan - lowest point: Akjagaa Depression (Sarygamysh Lake) in north-western Turkmenistan, 81 m (the actual water level in Sarygamysh Lake fluctuate widely from 110 m at its shallowest to 60 m). highest point: Arybaba, 3,139 m. - Turkmenistan has a cold desert climate that is severely continental. Summers are long (from May through September), hot, and dry, while winters generally are mild and dry, although occasionally cold and damp in the north. Most precipitation falls between January and May; precipitation is slight throughout the country, with annual averages ranging from 300 millimeters (11.8 in) in the Kopet Dag to 80 millimeters (3.15 in) in the northwest. The capital, Ashgabat, close to the Iranian border in south-central Turkmenistan, averages 225 millimeters (8.9 in) of rainfall annually. Average annual temperatures range from highs of 16.8 C (62.2 F) in Ashgabat to lows of 5.5 C (22.1 F) in Daoguz, on the Uzbek border in north-central Turkmenistan. The almost constant winds are northerly, northeasterly, or westerly.

Uzbekistan - lowest point: Sariqamish Kuli -12 m highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m . - Uzbekistan's climate is classified as continental, with hot summers and cool winters. Summer temperatures often surpass 40 C(104 F); winter temperatures average about 2 C (28 F), but may fall as low as 40 C (40 F). Most of the country also is quite arid, with average annual rainfall amounting to between 100 and 200 millimeters (3.9 and 7.9 in) and occurring mostly in winter and spring. Between July and September, little precipitation falls, essentially stopping the growth of vegetation during that period.