Snow, Rain, Storms – Think Twice Before Leaving Home! Meteorology Issues Warnings

The Turkish Meteorological Service has issued orange and yellow weather alerts for 44 provinces, as rain, storms, and snow are expected to sweep across the country. In Istanbul, temperatures have plummeted from 18°C to 4°C, and the anticipated rain has already started. Strong winds in the Marmara region are causing transportation disruptions.

Weather Forecast

According to the Meteorological Service, rainfall will vary across regions:

• Rain and thunderstorms along coastal areas of the Aegean and western Mediterranean.
• Mixed rain and snow, particularly in southwestern Marmara, parts of the western Black Sea, and the higher altitudes of central Turkey in the evening.

The forecast also predicts:

• Strong winds and storms:
  • From the north in southern and eastern Central Anatolia starting Sunday night.
  • From the south in southeastern and southern Eastern Anatolia starting Monday.
  • Strong winds and full gales in the Mediterranean region’s higher elevations.
• Winds are expected to ease Monday evening in the Mediterranean and later in other regions.

In the eastern Mediterranean, heavy rain is expected overnight in Mersin and Adana and will spread to Hatay, Osmaniye, and Kahramanmaraş by morning. Snow is forecast at elevations above 1,000 meters.

Yellow and Orange Alerts

The Meteorological Service has issued orange alerts for 16 provinces, indicating more severe conditions, and yellow alerts for 15 provinces, signaling caution is needed.

Provinces Under Orange Alert

Bolu, Erzincan, Gümüşhane, Rize, Sivas, Trabzon, Bayburt, Bartın, Düzce, Giresun, Kastamonu, Ordu, Tokat, Tunceli, Zonguldak, Karabük.

Provinces Under Yellow Alert

Amasya, Antalya, Çankırı, Çorum, Elazığ, Kayseri, Malatya, Kahramanmaraş, Nevşehir, Niğde, Sakarya, Samsun, Sinop, Yozgat, Karaman.

Warnings from AFAD and Local Authorities

The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has warned of potential flooding, lightning, hailstorms, strong winds, localized severe storms, icy roads, frost, and disruptions to transportation.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) stated that it has deployed 6,172 personnel and 1,879 vehicles to handle the ongoing rain and storms expected to last through Sunday. Temperatures in Istanbul may drop by 10-14°C today, with snow or mixed rain and snow possible in districts like Çatalca, Silivri, and Şile.

Istanbul’s First Snow of the Season

As temperatures fell, Istanbul witnessed its first snow in Kartal early this morning.

Stay cautious and prepared for potential adverse conditions!