There was a question about weather in central Asia around the possible time of landing this plane. I looked up Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and Almaty (Kazakhstan) for the time and date (to about 0500h local) and the situation was fairly benign. There was evidently low pressure to the north drawing in mild air, it was above freezing at both locations and light rain was falling but visibilities were moderate. The cold front of this disturbance can be seen moving through somewhat later in the morning to mid-day. But by these reports, there was no severe winter weather going on the morning of March 8th in that region. Yet at the same time it was not perfect flying weather for anyone, let alone a hi-jacker.
People had also made reference earlier to landing on long, straight desert roads. Surely these would not be wide enough to attempt such a thing, but also, once landed, where would you stash the airplane? My feeling all along is that partially abandoned airfield is in play in this scenario, and it would make sense to be looking at those that are surrounded by some type of cover. An airport out in the middle of some vegetation-free flat region would require an extensive structure available. However, it has probably occurred to many that the perpetrators could have refuelled and this plane could have gone on further later in the day.
Anyway, not to say I totally believe this scenario, but that's what the weather reports say FYI.