Turkey witnesses third warmest winter in half century

ISTANBUL

Turkey experienced this year the third warmest winter in the last 50 years after 1971 and 2010, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported on March 25.

According to data obtained from the Turkish State Meteorological Services, the seasonal temperatures for the three months of winter - December, January and February - have been measured 3.6 degrees Celsius for years. However, the average winter temperatures were recorded as 6.2 degrees Celsius this year.

Residents in the Black Sea province of Rize witnessed the hottest winter with an average temperature of 27 degrees Celsius, while residents in the eastern province of Ağrı witnessed the coldest winter at -34 degrees Celsius this year.

The Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean regions out of the country’s seven regions witnessed high temperatures above the seasonal norms throughout winter.

The highest temperatures in Marmara were measured in the province of Sakarya at 26.5 degrees Celsius.

The province of Manisa’s Salihli district was recorded as the hottest place in the Aegean region, with an average temperature of 26 degrees Celsius.

The hottest winter in the Mediterranean region was witnessed in the province of Antalya’s Dalaman district at 26.6 degrees Celsius.

The temperatures in the other four regions were around the seasonal norms, the figures showed.

Thermometers hit - 26.8 degrees Celsius in the Kangal District of Sivas in Central Anatolia, -18.8 degrees Celsius in the province of Bayburt in the Black Sea region and -8.5 degrees Celcius in the province of Batman in the southeastern Anatolian region as the coldest places of the regions.

The eastern province of Ağrı broke a record at -34.5 degrees Celsius as the coldest province across the country in winter.

Meanwhile, the cold weather that took hold on Turkey’s metropolises with surprise snowfall on March 24 continued through March 25.

A blanket of snow-covered Istanbul’s populated eastern and central districts, including higher ground on the city’s Asian side. Morning rush hour traffic came to a halt for a short time in the central parts of the metropolis.

According to the Turkish State Meteorological Service, snowfall will end in Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir as of March 26 and rainfalls will be seen.

The three provinces will warm back up this weekend, with temperatures rising to 5 degrees Celsius from current levels fluctuating around zero degrees Celsius.

The cold weather will leave the western parts of the country, but the precipitations will continue in the eastern provinces, officials said.

“The eastern provinces will experience snowfall again as of March 26. There is a risk of avalanche in these provinces,” officials warned.

Meteorologists also warned residents of the Mediterranean and the southeastern provinces of the possibility of floods, whirlwinds, or lightning.