Locals enjoy skiing in southeastern border town

HAKKARİ

Locals in Hakkâri, a southeastern province that borders both Iran and Iraq, have been thronging a ski resort on the Merga Bütan Highlands, located only 12 kilometers away from the city’s center, to enjoy the sunny weekend with many winter attractions.

Some visitors spent the day skiing, tobogganing and snowboarding on slopes, while some preferred to have a hot tea or picnic with a barbecue accompanied by the view of the snow-covered mountains.

Opened two years ago, the center has been hosting thousands of skiing enthusiasts every year, providing visitors with a unique skiing experience in the country’s one of the most remote settlements.

The center is situated in an area that stays covered by snow for the longest period in Anatolia, giving visitors an opportunity to enjoy the slopes via two ski tracks, stretching 1,800 meters and 1,200 meters, respectively.

There are also four different lifts at the facility where the snow depth of 60 centimeters was measured.

Cold weather about to hit

Meanwhile, the relatively warm weather, which is above the seasonal norms, is about to give way to a cold airwave again.

A “yellow alert” has been issued by the Turkish State Meteorological Service (TSMS) for 14 out of all 81 provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara, on late Jan. 9, warning that heavy precipitation will occur in the upcoming days.

The country’s meteorology authority also warned against a cold wave that will be effective across the country, noting that the temperature would decline by 4 to 10 degrees Celsius.

Speaking to private broadcaster CNN Türk, meteorologist Orhan Şen said that there would be snowfall in Istanbul tomorrow and Jan. 13, but that the precipitation would completely withdraw from the Turkish metropolis late on the same day.