Extreme heat lashes Türkiye following severe June storms

ANKARA

A searing heat wave engulfs Türkiye, elevating temperatures to an oppressive 45 degrees Celsius in southern coastal regions, hard on the heels of a month dominated by severe, erratic weather nationwide, according to meteorologists.

Nighttime temperatures holding steadily above 20 degrees indicate dangerous “tropical days” for almost the entire country, excluding a few inner regions, meteorologist Adil Tek said.

Citizens planning coastal vacations should limit their beach time to early mornings and late evenings, while the general public must avoid all outdoor exposure between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to evade heatstroke, Tek said.

Medical experts and meteorologists advise people to wear light-colored clothing, consume plenty of water and completely avoid heavy protein meals and alcohol during this period, Tek said.

Intense temperatures across the Aegean and Mediterranean coastlines will exceed 45 degrees, while the southeastern provinces face severe heat pushing well above 40 degrees.

Thermometers in Aydın will hit 43 degrees by July 28, with İzmir nearing the 40-degree mark and the capital Ankara experiencing unrelenting highs of up to 35 degrees through mid-week.

The Thrace region also remains trapped under extreme heat, with border provinces Edirne and Kırklareli approaching 40 degrees. Istanbul faces oppressive highs of up to 36 degrees, with southern districts suffering from poor wind circulation; however, a cooler, rainy weather system moving in from the north will bring relief to the Marmara region starting the afternoon of July 22, Tek said.

Meanwhile, official data reveals a highly turbulent meteorological backdrop immediately preceding the ongoing heat crisis. Türkiye recorded exactly 149 severe weather events in June alone, largely driven by volatile storm systems causing destruction across the Anatolian peninsula.

Heavy rain, flash floods and extreme hail accounted for nearly 80 percent of all events last month, according to the June Agricultural Meteorology Bulletin published by the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry. Data obtained from 220 meteorological observation stations nationwide showed thunderstorms were frequently accompanied by hail.

Hail storms struck 60 times, predominantly battering the provinces of Kars and Afyonkarahisar, while local disaster authorities logged 57 separate flash flood emergencies alongside 15 windstorms. These destructive weather patterns also triggered two tornadoes, five landslides and 10 lightning strikes across multiple provinces.