Heat or cold weather mainly?
 

Ok here is the thing. With my husband we have differing views on the type of weather we are going to encounter in our next trip, and therefore what sort of gear we should pack. We will bring layers, but can we send back warm stuff from Almaty? Will we be mostly cold during this trip, or mostly very hot?

We both agree we want to travel VERY light.

We will leave the UK late April, cross France south toward Italy, Bosnia etc through Romania and southern Ukraine. Then, by early May we will hit a bit of Russia, Kazakhstan, south to Uzbekistan. By mid-May we will ride the Pamir Highway and explore further before getting into Kyrgyzstan. Then up to Almaty , and all north toward Russia. Then entry to Mongolia by closer border we can find. Cross Mongolia June/July.
From Ulaanbaatar we will then get round Lake Baikal, Irkutsk and probably train to Moscow.
Then ride across Baltic states back to the UK late August.
Anyone who has done this road at that season (late spring / summer): outside of Pamir, is it worth bringing/keeping very warm clothing? OR will it be very hot?

Thanks.

I think you can find both very hot and very cold days.

Last year it snowed in mid-May in northern Italy and a few days later the sun was shining in Poland.
I understand you want to travel light, but I suggest you to be prepared for every kind of temperature in such a long trip.

You will be in Pamir very early in the season too...

Its a difficult question to answer, you can hit cold weather at altitude especially at any time of year.

Year on year variations also apply.

Just to give you an example, in early July of this year I ended up parked at the side of the road in the Faragas mountains in Romania due to a hailstone downpour, and it was not a warm day at all. 2 days later it was pushing towards 30 degrees centigrade.

First/second week of September this year it was cool and wet in Western Ukraine (lowlands), as in coat and jumper when on foot.

In most elevated areas, it can snow at any time of the year.

May - June in Stans
 

May - June,, freezing cold early mornings and cloudy days.Towards end of June still cold in the mornings but hot during the day. And you will also notice tarmacs melt away, on new roads. Very dangerous,, do not pull the brakes too hard.