Heavy rain, storms prompt ‘yellow alert’ across 18 provinces

ANKARA

Snow blankets higher elevations in the Black Sea province of Rize. DHA Photo

The Turkish State Meteorological Service has issued a “yellow alert” for 18 of the country’s 81 provinces for Nov. 8, as a sweeping storm system threatens the country’s Black Sea coastline with heavy downpours, severe wind gusts and snow in mountainous areas.

Meteorologists expect the heaviest rain around Rize and along the coast of neighboring Artvin. Heavy rain is also forecast along the central and eastern Black Sea coast and around Hakkari, Şırnak and Siirt.

The alerts cover the southern provinces of Adana, Antalya, Burdur, Hatay, Isparta, Kahramanmaraş, Mersin and Osmaniye; the Black Sea provinces of Artvin, Giresun, Ordu, Rize, Samsun and Trabzon; and Bitlis, Hakkari, Siirt and Şırnak in the east and southeast.

The weather service had issued yellow alerts for 19 provinces for Nov. 7. Its map published that day listed nine provinces under yellow alerts for Nov. 8, while Hürriyet reported 18 in its Nov. 8 morning update.

Sleet and snow were forecast for the Taurus Mountains in the eastern Mediterranean region, southeastern Central Anatolia, including areas around Sivas, inland parts of the Black Sea region and northern and eastern parts of eastern Anatolia. A separate warning called for heavy rain and sleet around Hakkari, in eastern Şırnak and Siirt and in southeastern Bitlis, with snow at higher elevations and precipitation expected to last into the night.

The national forecast called for northerly winds of 40 to 70 kilometers per hour along the Aegean coast and in parts of the Mediterranean region, eastern Central Anatolia, the central and eastern Black Sea coast and western parts of eastern Anatolia. A separate marine warning forecast winds of 50 to 75 kilometers per hour in the southern Aegean, with the storm expected to ease by the evening of Nov. 8.

Temperatures were forecast to fall by 4 to 6 degrees Celsius in inland and eastern areas and remain below seasonal norms nationwide. Forecasters expected frost and icy conditions in inland parts of the western and eastern Black Sea regions and in the far east of the country, with fog and mist in the inland Aegean and Central Anatolia.

The weather service urged residents to take precautions against flooding, lightning, localized hail, landslides and travel disruptions. Strong winds could damage roofs and bring down trees and poles.

In a separate forecast for Nov. 10, the service expected showers across Istanbul, including at Istanbul Airport and in districts such as Beşiktaş, Kadıköy, Sarıyer and Üsküdar. Forecast lows ranged from 5 to 9 degrees Celsius across the city’s districts, with highs of 10 to 14 degrees Celsius.

A “yellow alert” signals potentially hazardous weather, advising the public to exercise caution, particularly during outdoor activities or travel.