with the exception of the caspian coast, the climate of turkmenistan is continental, with hot dry summers with the average july temperatures exceeding . in the karakum desert, summer temperatures can reach , while on the coast they are a little less hot, but it is more humid. in the winter, the north is cold and moist, with a mean january temperature of , while the south is slightly less cold and also moist, with the temperature averaging above . the daily temperature range is large. the highest precipitation is in the mountains, mostly falling in the winter and spring, while elsewhere the precipitation is low, and over most of the country, water is in short supply.