Rainy days in Türkiye fall to 86 as rainfall hits lowest level in 52 years

ANKARA

Türkiye recorded a sharp decline in both the number of rainy days and overall precipitation in 2025, with nationwide data showing just 86 days of rainfall and the lowest annual total in more than five decades, according to official meteorological figures released by the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry.

The figures show that the number of rainy days across Türkiye fell 14 percent below long-term averages, which typically stand at around 100 days per year.

The decline was accompanied by a significant drop in total precipitation during the 2025 “water year,” a hydrological measurement period running from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, commonly used to assess drought conditions and water availability for agriculture.

During this period, Türkiye’s average rainfall amounted to 422.5 kilograms per square meter. This marked a 26.3 percent decrease compared with the 1991-2020 long-term average of 573.4 kilograms per square meter and a 29.2 percent drop from the previous water year, pushing national rainfall levels to their lowest point in 52 years.

Rainfall declined in all regions, with particularly severe reductions in the south and southeast.

Precipitation declined by more than 50 percent in Southeastern Anatolia, while large areas of Central Anatolia received less than 250 millimeters over the year.

In contrast, parts of the eastern Black Sea region saw above-average rainfall. Basin-level data showed that all river basins except the Eastern Black Sea and Çoruh received below-normal precipitation, with the Asi Basin posting the steepest decline.

Officials warned that the combined drop in rainfall amounts and rainy days points to heightened meteorological drought risks, with potential implications for water resources and agriculture across Türkiye.