Country blanketed with snow, braces for warmer weekend

ISTANBUL

Winter has officially arrived in Turkey as snowfalls occurred in most of all 81 provinces on Dec. 21, but the temperature, which was below the seasonal norms throughout the week, will increase in the western parts of the country as of Dec. 24, meteorologists have said.

Experts estimated that apart from the Mediterranean region, “all provinces across the country will witness precipitation on Dec. 23.”

While drivers struggled on slippery roads, children rejoiced with the arrival of snowfalls seen across the country on Dec. 21 and 22

Istanbul’s districts close to the Bosphorus Strait witnessed snowfall late Dec. 21 and 22. The snow blanketed the European districts of Sarıyer and the Asian districts of Beykoz, Üsküdar and Çekmeköy.

Meteorologists warned of sleet in Istanbul, in north and northwestern provinces on Dec. 23.

Due to heavy snowfalls, more than 2,000 roads to the villages across the country were closed, as face-to-face education was suspended in some 15 provinces.

One of them is the Central Anatolian province of Konya.
Schools were closed in the city’s six districts. However, local officials turned the heavy snowfalls into an advantage by “feeding Lake Beyşehir.”

The snow at Beyşehir district’s center was carried with trucks and poured into the lake, which ebbed some 150 meters due to the drought this year.

“We hope the snow will replace the ebbed water,” a local worker said.

The Interior Ministry published two circulars about “homeless people” and “stray animals.”

The ministry asked all local officials to detect “people with no place to stay” and shelter them. According to a circular, these people will accommodate at state institutions’ guest houses.

In another circular, the minister urged officials to “help stray animals in these cold days.” Local officials were asked to establish “animal feeding groups” with public workers and volunteers in each province to track stray animals in need.

Meteorologists also warned residents of the eastern provinces of storms. “Winds will blow in the country’s east at a speed of between 40 to 70 kilometers per hour,” the Turkish State Meteorological Service said in a statement.

“People must be prepared for avalanches, blowing away of roofs, toppling of trees and such incidents,” it added.

Experts also cautioned that several Central Anatolian provinces, where temperatures are below zero, may witness frost.

But there is good news for citizens in the country’s western provinces as experts estimate that the temperature will increase as of Dec. 24, heading toward a warmer weekend.

“The cold weather will leave the western parts,” the statement said.