July 26 likely to be hottest day of year in country: Expert

Burcu Purtul Uçar – ISTANBUL

Amidst record-breaking temperatures and intensifying heatwaves scorching Türkiye, along with the rest of the world, fuelled by the El Nino phenomenon, a meteorologist has warned that the country should brace itself to experience the hottest day of the year on July 26.

Türkiye has been in the grip of extreme temperatures since the beginning of the summer months, as the country’s southern and southeastern provinces have witnessed thermometers climbing up to 47 degrees Celsius more than once.

Prominent meteorologist Orhan Şen announced that the country will continue to face record-breaking temperatures until September, adding that July 26 is likely to be the warmest day this year.

“Certain areas in the country, notably Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean regions, will experience the hottest day of the year on July 26,” Şen stated.

Şen also noted that as the difference in air temperature on the ground-level and high-altitude regions is quite high, this imbalance might bring heavy rain and tornado risk to the Black Sea Region.

In the meantime, a recent study on the impact of climate change in Europe and Türkiye revealed that for every 1-degree global temperature increase, the Mediterranean region would warm up by at least 1.5 degrees.

The study examined changes in temperatures over a period of 120 years, considering its relation with the climate crisis.

Regarding the research, Academic Tuğba Öztürk emphasized the need to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to mitigate the effects of global warming.

She also highlighted the wind and solar potential of Türkiye, particularly in the areas of the Biga Peninsula and in the northwestern province of Çanakkale, stating that investing more in renewable energy sources can help decrease carbon dioxide emissions in the country.