Bishkek heating season starts 28 October: where the 8-degree rule came from

The 2026-2027 heating season in Bishkek begins today, 28 October. Authorities say heating is switched on only when the average daily outside air temperature stays at or below +8 degrees for five days in a row. Kaktus.media compared data on Bishkek's heating seasons going back to 2004.

According to the analysis, heating is most often switched on in late October or early November. The earliest start was on 5 October in the 2020-2021 season, while last year heating began on 3 November. Over 22 years the season lasted 150 days on average. Since the 2022-2023 season the average has been 142 days, and in four years it never exceeded 150 days.

The rule is based on Kyrgyzstan's construction norms, updated in 2011, and on the Bishkek mayor's office order No. 649-r of 20.10.2011. The article notes that similar heating conditions existed in the Soviet period. In practice, authorities also consider the weather forecast from Kyrgyzhydromet, and heating can be switched on early during sharp cold snaps.