Several cities embrace season’s first snowfall

ISTANBUL

Winter has officially arrived in Türkiye, with residents across the country, including in Istanbul and Ankara, embracing the season's first snowfall, as it drapes the landscape in a pristine blanket of white.

Higher parts of Istanbul experienced the first snow of the season on Nov. 23, following strong south-west winds and heavy rains previously engulfing the metropolis.

Snow blanketed Arnavutköy on the European side of the city and the districts of Ataşehir, Çekmeköy, Sultanbeyli, Sancaktepe, Kartal and Pendik on the Asian side.

At high elevations, particularly in Aydos Forest, snow has blanketed the sides of roads, parks, and gardens, enthralling onlookers with postcard-perfect vistas.

However, heavy snowfall simultaneously caused disruptions and delays in air, sea and land traffic throughout the province.

While flights were interrupted at Sabiha Gökçen Airport, ship traffic on the Bosphorus was momentarily suspended in both directions.

On the evening of Nov. 23, nearby districts of the capital Ankara saw the season's first scattered flurries filling the sky. As the hours passed, the snowfall intensified, eventually reaching the city center in the late hours of the night.

The city's higher elevations were quickly blanketed in snow, with local officials noting that efforts to clear the snow in some areas continued without interruption.

Rainfall in the northern province of Bolu turned to snow on the morning of Nov. 23, accumulating over 5 centimeters across the region.

Due to intense snowfall, traffic between Cankurtaran and Gerede, on the route to Istanbul and Ankara, came to a standstill as collisions and vehicle breakdowns blocked the road.

“Our teams are ready to respond and offer our residents prompt help in the event of an urgent situation,” Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu noted, stressing that highway crews were working meticulously to alleviate the vehicle density in the region.

Uraloğlu emphasized the importance of winter tires and emergency supplies, urging citizens to take the necessary safety precautions before heading out into the harsh winter conditions.

The snowfall graced the country’s prominent winter tourism destinations, with the northwestern city of Bursa’s Uludağ ski resort experiencing a snow depth of 20 centimeters.

Meanwhile, a tornado struck two neighborhoods in the Mediterranean province of Antalya, causing damage to several greenhouses in the region.

Intense rainfall and southwest winds were effective in the southern Marmara province of Balıkesir’s Ayvalık district, causing several boats to capsize.