Turkey confirms warmest May in over half a century
ISTANBUL
Last month was the warmest May in the last 51 years in Turkey, according to the country’s meteorology authority.
The average May temperature in Turkey rose 2.6 degrees Celsius (4.7 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Turkish State Meteorological Service data compiled by state-run Anadolu Agency.
With the latest temperature measurement climbing to 19.3 degrees Celsius (66.7 F), last month was the hottest May in the last 51 years.
Before this, the highest average temperature in Turkey since 1971 was recorded in May 2007.
Carbon emissions from fossil fuel use is the main reason behind the increase in global temperatures, said Levent Kurnaz of the Center for Climate Change and Policy Studies at Istanbul’s Boğaziçi University.
“This causes the atmosphere to warm up,” he said, explaining how 2020 was the warmest year on record.
He said the world’s average temperature was generally high during the years of El Nino, a phenomenon that affects air and ocean circulation in the Pacific Ocean.
“If El Nino occurs in 2022 or 2023, then Turkey’s average temperature will rise accordingly, because all parts of the world will warm more than average,” Kurnaz added.
Meanwhile, the Turkish State Meteorological Service has declared warnings for some Marmara and Black Sea provinces, including Istanbul, against expected heavy rains, while urging people to take precautions.
Meteorologists expect heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in the provinces of Kütahya, Afyonkarahisar, Eskişehir, Artvin, Ardahan, Muğla and Antalya.
“It is predicted that the expected precipitation will be strong locally in the vicinity of Istanbul, [Marmara provinces of] Kırklareli, Edirne and Tekirdağ,” it said in a statement.
Authorities warned people to be careful and cautious against adverse weather conditions such as sudden floods, lightning, hail, strong winds and transportation disruptions during the imminent showers.
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