Cities see record high temperatures

ANTALYA

Turkey is experiencing the warmest May due to hot weather front from North Africa, causing rising temperatures across the country, according to state meteorology officials.

After the weekend during which the temperatures set all-time record highs for May in Antalya, Muğla, Burdur and Isparta, temperatures hit 40 degrees Celsius on May 18 in most cities.

In most cities including Istanbul, Bursa, Antalya, İzmir, Şanlıurfa and Elazığ, thermometers showed the highest temperatures of May.

Temperature in Turkey’s top tourism destination Antalya was 40 degrees Celsius yesterday. The city saw a scorching temperature on Sunday with 43 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record of 38.7 degrees Celsius measured on May 26, 1945.

In Muğla at the weekend the temperature hit 39.3 degrees Celsius, breaking the May 30, 1932 record of 36 degrees.

Bursa also set an all-time high of 38 degrees on Sunday, breaking the 75-year-old record high of 37 degrees on May 26, 1945.

The Turkish State Meteorology Service warned about a second wave for the next three days.

Temperatures are expected to fall in Marmara, Black Sea and eastern Anatolia regions, but the heat wave will continue in the Aegean, Central and southeastern Anatolia regions until Thursday.

In Aegean, Mediterranean and Central Anatolia, the temperatures will be 10-13, in eastern and southeastern Anatolia 5-9 and in the other regions 2 degrees Celsius above the May average.

The heat wave will lose effect in Friday and temperatures will be back to the seasonal normal on the weekend.

Officials warned especially elderly citizens and the chronically ill to be cautious against the excessive heat.

Since last Thursday, Turkey has been swept with a heat wave from North Africa, pushing temperatures across the country 10 to 12 degrees above seasonal norms.