average temperatures near 4–5 °C (39–41 °F). The lowest recorded temperature was on 8 January 1970. Spring starts in early April and ends in late May with average temperatures near 15 °C (60 °F). Unlike areas to the east, Ajristan does not have a monsoon season of heavy rainfall. Highest recorded rainfall within 24 hours is on 17 December 2000. Highest recorded monthly rainfall is in March 1982, and the highest recorded annual rainfall was in 1982. Snowfall occurs primarily in December, January, and February and is the principal precipitation in the winter. During a severe drought from 1999 to 2001, Ajristan did not receive any snowfall, and rainfall was below normal levels. In 2003, the district received significant snowfall after a long drought. In 2004 and 2005, it received normal rains for the first time in three years with some snowfall, while in 2006, 2007, and 2009, the district received no snow. In 2008, Ajristan received four inches of snow in four hours on 29 January 2008. On 2 February 2008, Ajristan received ten inches of snow in 10 hours, the heaviest snowfall for the district in the last ten years. During the winter of 2010, it received no snow and suffered below normal levels of rainfall due to El-Nino. Economy The severe droughts and winters have taken a toll on the economy, which is based mostly on agriculture and other locally grown products. A 2009 paper describes Ajristan residents "eating alfalfa, which is...detrimental to the human digestive system," a problem compounded by the lack of adequate medical care in the area. Most karezes have dried, so the district relies on a few wells and the Jikhai River for water. References External links Map of Settlements AIMS, May 2002 Districts of Ghazni Province Hazarajat Hazara people