Istanbul to witness snowfall on weekend: Experts

ISTANBUL

As the Balkans winds have broken the warm winter spell in the country, Istanbul is likely to receive heavy snowfall on the weekend, meteorologists have said, adding that the Siberian cold wave will also hit the country as of Feb. 5.

According to the data received from the Turkish State Meteorological Service, Türkiye is experiencing cold weather. With the cold air wave coming from the Balkan, temperatures have decreased to usual winter values.

While the cold air arriving from the Balkans is expected to continue to be effective throughout the next week, experts stated that another cold air wave originating from Siberia will reach the country as of Feb. 5.

It is predicted that this cold weather wave may cause heavy snowfall in the western parts of the country.

The bureau also issued a frost warning regarding agricultural activities in the Aegean provinces of İzmir, Aydın and Manisa and the northwestern provinces of Balıkesir and Çanakkale.

In Istanbul, the snow that was observed lightly in the coastal and high parts of the city the previous evening turned into snowflakes in high-altitude areas such as the Çatalca and Karta districts in the morning.

Due to the snowfall, the top of the parked vehicles soon turned white in a short time.

However, heavy snowfall is expected throughout the province this weekend.

Prominent meteorologist Orhan Şen stated that snowfall could start in Istanbul with a new cold wave coming from the west on Feb. 3’ evening.

“Apart from the snow in the regions with high altitude, the snowfall will most likely be observed in the city center at the weekend,” Şen explained.

“The cold weather wave in the country right now causes heavy snowfall in Anatolia. A new cold wave will arrive from the west on Feb. 3. This wave can lead to snowfall in many parts of Istanbul on Saturday and Sunday [Feb. 4 and 5],” Şen added.

Expected snowfall in Uludağ, one of the famous winter tourism spots of the country, started at noon on Jan. 30.

With the continuous snowfall, the snow thickness reached 32 centimeters in a short time.

In Uludağ, where the occupancy rate in hotels remains at 40 percent due to the lack of precipitation, the tourist density is expected to increase in the last week of the semester break.