Türkiye saw warmest December in over five decades

ISTANBUL

As Turkish State Meteorological Service announces that last December was the warmest one experienced in the past 52 years, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum calls on citizens to “do their bit.”

Providing information regarding the temperature data for December 2022, the bureau noted that the average temperature between December 1991 and December 2020 was 4.8 degrees Celsius.

The average temperature in December 2022 increased by 3.2 degrees and reached 8 degrees, the bureau stated, stressing that this value is the highest of the 52-year December averages.

The second-highest average in December was experienced in 2010, as the temperature rose to 7.8 degrees.

Evaluating the bureau’s announcement, Kurum stated this figure is not promising in terms of fighting the climate crisis and global warming.

“We had the hottest December in the last 52 years. Rainfall has drastically decreased. This chart does hold out much hope,” the minister said.

“We always say: Our resources are not limitless. We should show maximum effort with this awareness and take our steps. Everyone must do their bit,” Kurum expressed.

In addition to the temperature data for the last month of 2022 throughout the country, the statement of the bureau also included temperature values by region and comparison with previous years.

Though the average temperature of the Marmara Region is 7 degrees, the average temperature last December was measured at 10.3 degrees.

The average temperature of the Aegean Region in December 2022 was 10.8, which means that the average rose by about 3 degrees last year, while the average temperature in the Mediterranean Region, which was 9.1 degrees in previous years, reached 11.8 degrees.

Even in December and the first days of the new year, residents of the Mediterranean region and tourists visiting the region enjoyed the summer weather. Some tourists continued to swim in the Mediterranean during the winter months.

The average of the Central Anatolia Region increased by more than 3 degrees and reached 4.6 degrees.

In the Black Sea Region, the average temperature rose to 7.8 degrees from 4.8 degrees.

In the Eastern Anatolia Region, where the air temperature drops to 10 below zero in winter, the average temperature rose by about 2 degrees and reached 2.4 degrees.

The Southeastern Anatolia Region was one of the regions where the average temperature increased the most, as the average temperature in the last month rose from 6.4 degrees to 9.2 degrees.