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How cold can winter temperatures become in the inner Tien Shan?
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Tien Shan
The Tien Shan mountain range and the Takla Makan Desert.
The Tien Shan mountain range experiences a sharply continental climate characterized by extreme temperature fluctuations. In the alpine regions of the inner Tien Shan, the mean temperature in January is approximately −9 °F (−23 °C). However, temperatures can drop significantly lower than this average; in specific locations, such as the Ak-Say valley, record lows have reached −58 °F (−50 °C).1