Annual rainfall and seasonality
The dry steppe land climate has a long summer; from May to September, with temperatures reaching up to 45 degrees. The winter lasts from December to March, when up to 28,5 cm of snowfall can take place. Total yearly precipitation averages at 400 mm/year, and a major part of this precipitates as snow during the winter. Since precipitation in summer is low, and potential evaporation is high, natural water availability for crops is low. Therefore, cultivation without irrigation is very risky and around 75% of cultivated lands are being irrigated.
