The town is known as a nuclear and biochemical site,[3] which was known as the Stepnogorsk Scientific and Technical Institute for Microbiology.

Spring is typically dry and windy, with large swings between high daytime temperatures and below-freezing nights.

In summer, mostly cloudless and hot conditions prevail, caused by intense warming of the steppe.

A stable snow cover usually forms by mid-November and remains for 130–150 days, with an average depth of around 20–22 cm.

Spring sets in during the second half of March and lasts 1.5–2 months, with daily highs typically reaching 0 °C in early April.