Cold wave to grip country, heavy rains lash Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Heavy rain caused significant disruptions and paralyzed daily life in the metropolis of Istanbul on Oct. 12, with a cold wave expected to sweep the nation, particularly after Oct. 25, according to data from the U.K.-based meteorology platform WXCharts.

Puddles formed on the roads in several parts of Istanbul due to torrential rains, causing traffic congestion and multiple accidents.

In the aftermath of the rain, a landslide struck the Küçükçekmece district, resulting in the collapse of the retaining wall next to a five-story apartment building. Authorities quickly evacuated residents as a precautionary measure.

Due to the electrically charged clouds and heavy rainfall, some flights were forced to circle in the air before safely descending to land at Istanbul Airport.

Meanwhile, the entire country is expected to experience widespread, intense rainfall in the coming days, along with a significant drop in temperatures nationwide.

Temperatures in the east of the country, particularly in the northern city of Trabzon, eastern cities of Erzurum and Elazığ, and the Central Anatolian province of Sivas, are expected to range from minus 4 to minus 7 degrees Celcius. The eastern city of Erzincan may experience even colder conditions, with temperatures dropping to minus 11 degrees.

Across the rest of the nation, temperatures are predicted to range from minus 2 to 7 degrees Celsius.

This expected drop in temperatures raised questions about the arrival of the winter season and snowfall across the country.

"After the second half of this week, you must get the heaters ready and prepare your winter clothing. Winter-like autumn temperatures will begin to prevail starting on Thursday [Oct. 17],” prominent meteorologist Professor Dr. Orhan Şen pointed out.

"The mountains in Anatolia are expected to see snowfall next weekend, and rain will lead to a temperature drop of 10 degrees across the country," he added.

Predictions of an early and severe winter emerged after the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that a cyclical cooling phenomenon known as La Niña is expected to dominate the upcoming winter season.