Extreme cold pounds northeastern province

ARDAHAN

With the temperature dropping to minus 16 degrees in the northeastern province of Ardahan, some lakes and streams are freezing up, and roads have become slippery due to frost, adding to the troubles as disruptions in transportation services have made commuting difficult.

Due to the extreme cold weather, windows of vehicles in the city froze, while rime formed on trees and plants.

While on the one hand, ice crystals forming on trees and plants make the landscape enthralling and picturesque, on the other hand, weather events resembling Siberian cold are adversely affecting life in Ardahan.

Metin Yılmaz, a resident in the region, stated that they could not even go outside as it was unbearably cold. “There is a black frost. We cannot stand outside. The weather has been very good recently, but it started to get cold with the snowfall.”

“It is extremely cold outside. I think that felt air temperature hovers around minus 25 degrees. Even stray animals feel cold,” Yılmaz said.

There are disruptions in transportation as the roads are also frozen, Yılmaz said, adding that even if residents burn their stoves at the highest degree, it is still not enough for heating.

The lowest temperature in the region was 16.7 degrees below zero in the city center, while the highest temperature was minus 6.6 degrees in the Posof district.