Weather shift expected as cold front to bring rain

ANKARA

A shift to colder, rainier weather is expected across most parts of Türkiye this weekend, as the recent warm spell gives way to a November cooldown, according to the latest weekly report from meteorologists.

After temperatures near seasonal norms, a sharp drop is forecast for Nov. 3 in northern and inland areas, bringing thundershowers to many provinces, including Istanbul and surrounding regions.

The Turkish State Meteorological Service's report warns of strong, cold winds coming from the north, which will intensify the chill on Nov. 3.

Rain is also expected in provinces east of the Antalya coast, with cooler weather set to persist into early next week. Some provinces bordering Iraq in Türkiye's southeast are likely to experience snowfall through Nov. 5.

Although temperatures are projected to remain low into the next week, rain will be limited to select northern and eastern areas, while partly cloudy skies are anticipated for the remainder of the week.

The arrival of cold weather follows an era of climate extremes, with prolonged drought and heat stress affecting large parts of the country.

A recent report published in The Lancet medical journal cited losses of 471 million labor hours and $846 million in income due to heat exposure last year alone.

Between 2019 and 2023, extreme drought conditions gripped 82.7 percent of Türkiye's land area for at least one month each year, with over 43 percent experiencing drought for three or more months annually and nearly 12 percent facing such conditions for half the year.