Some 16 provinces warned with yellow alert
ISTANBUL
The Turkish State Meteorological Service has issued yellow alert for 16 provinces and orange alert for one, warning that the heavy rains will affect the country all week.
Downpours, heavy rains and thunderstorms are expected to affect the Marmara, the Aegean regions and the western parts of the Mediterranean Region weeklong.
The bureau issued a yellow alert for Istanbul, the western provinces of İzmir, Denizli and Manisa, the Aegean provinces of Aydın, Kütahya, Muğla and Uşak, the northwestern provinces of Bilecik, Bursa, Çanakkale, Edirne, Kırklareli and Tekirdağ and the northern provinces of Kocaeli, Yalova.
A “yellow alert” is issued when there is a “potential threat by a weather event.”
The northwestern province of Balıkesir is also warned with an orange alert.
“Orange alert” is rarely issued, which signifies a possibility of damage and loss in a “dangerous weather situation.”
The bureau warned that people residing in Balıkesir should be cautious against possible flooding, landslides and local whirlwinds.
Apart from the provinces which are warned, it is estimated that thunderstorms and rains may be observed in the western parts of the Black Sea region and some parts of the central Anatolia region, especially Kırşehir, Aksaray, Karaman and Konya provinces.
A strong and severe storm is also expected in the Marmara and the Aegean regions, the northwestern parts of central Anatolia region and the eastern parts of the Black Sea region.
The bureau warned the citizens living in the region to be careful and cautious against possible hazards such as stove and flue gas poisoning, tree and pole toppling and disruptions in transportation.
Haze and fog are expected to form in the Aegean region and the western parts of the Marmara region during the week.
The temperatures, on the other hand, will decrease by 1 to 4 degrees in areas where precipitation is effective, while it will remain at the seasonal norm in the rest of the country.
Meanwhile, Orhan Şen, a prominent meteorologist, stated that though the country is about the enter the winter months, there will be no snowfall in the week ahead.
Snowfall may be observed in the high-altitude regions of the eastern and southeastern Anatolian regions.
