The climate of the valleys is identical to extreme temperatures. In summer these places are quite hot, in winter very cold. The following is a brief description of this climate type.
The valleys record extreme temperatures in summer and winter. The deeper a valley, the greater the temperature fluctuation. This means that valleys that are surrounded by very high mountains are susceptible to very large changes in temperature. The typical season of particular interest to vacationers and meteorologists alike is the world-famous Gilgit Valley in the northern areas of Pakistan, located not far from Shin Door Pass, the center of the Annual Polo Festival. It is surprising to note that although it has a high latitude of around 36 degrees north, and an elevation of around 5000 feet above sea level, temperatures of up to 113 F (45 C) are common. During the night, however, the temperature drops to 60 F (16 C), a drop of 31 degrees Celsius! This is because Gilgit is surrounded by very high mountains that reach a height of up to 20,000 feet. At night, when the sky is clear, mountain surfaces become much cooler due to the re-radiation of heat to the atmosphere that they have absorbed during the day. As the surface gets colder and colder at night, the air that touches the slopes also gets very cold. It also becomes dense and heavier compared to the surrounding air. Under the action of gravity, the cold air is dragged down the slopes until it accumulates in the deep valleys. This wind is the katabatic wind, commonly known as mountain wind. As this wind comes from the mountains located high up, it is very cold and the temperature of the valleys drops considerably. Hence, the nights in the valleys remain cool even in the height of summer. However, during the day, since the valleys are situated low compared to the mountains, and these areas have a very clear atmosphere, they get quite hot at noon, especially when there is no fresh air coming from anywhere.
In winter, due to the same effect, the valleys record temperatures several degrees below zero and are very cold. It is common for Gilgit to see temperatures of up to 20 F in winter.
In summary, it follows from the discussion above that valleys have a wide variety of both diurnal and seasonal temperatures. So the next time you plan to visit these places in the summer, be prepared to face extremely hot winds and cold nights in the same season.
