Temperatures rise, snowfall reduced to 2.5 days

TEKİRDAĞ

The average number of days with heavy snow in Türkiye was 28.4 days in the last 50 years, but the number has dropped to 2.5 days this year, experts stated.

Namık Kemal University Çorlu Engineering Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Lokman Hakan Tecer said that there has been a significant decrease in snowfall in Türkiye recently.

Underlining that the average number of snow-covered days in the country in the last 50 years was 28.4 days, Tecer said that this figure has decreased to 27 days since 2001 and 26 days since 2010. The number was about nine days two years ago, and it has dropped to only two and a half days in 2023.

Stating that the number of days with snowfall has decreased in all countries in the northern hemisphere, Tecer said that the experts associate this decline with climate change and global warming.

He noted that among the causes of climate change are the increase in anthropogenic activities, the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere in high amounts, the abundance of air pollutants in the atmosphere, and the formation of “heat islands” in some cities where urbanization is high.

He explained that when people establish concrete structures and industrial facilities over agricultural lands and natural habitats, these structures trap heat there, causing the region to have increased temperatures and decreased rainfall and snowfall.

Tecer stated that the type of precipitation is also important, and snow is the most important meteorological factor that ensures that the river regimes remain in balance, especially the feeding of groundwater, the filling of dams and the smooth flow of rivers throughout the year.

He added that it is also desirable to have snowfall for agricultural activities. In Türkiye, the amount of snowfall varies greatly depending on the landmass, proximity to the sea, distance and height from the sea.

Stating that the measures to be taken against drought are important, Tecer pointed out the need for adopting a lifestyle that is compatible with climate change.

Tecer emphasized that people need to change their mindset and make environmentally friendly choices and less carbon-emitting activities in their daily lives.

He also advised that farmers should abandon wild irrigation in agricultural activities and turn to a drip irrigation system.