Türkiye braces for warmer days as spring arrives after cold spell

ISTANBUL

After a period of bitter cold and snow-covered landscapes, winter’s grip on Türkiye loosens, as the country is set to experience a significant rise in temperature with the arrival of spring in several regions.

“Today [March 4] is a very cold day across the country, with snow in parts of Eastern Anatolia and the Black Sea highlands. However, starting Wednesday [March 5], temperatures will rise significantly, almost 10 to 12 degrees Celcius,” meteorology editor Dilek Çalışkan explained.

By March 7, İzmir and some Mediterranean cities may see temperatures up to 25 degrees Celsius, while the western Black Sea region could experience temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius.

Dominated by the cold and a persistent, harsh snowstorm last month and rainy weather the past few days, temperatures in Istanbul are also set to climb steadily, meteorologist Güven Özdemir pointed out.

“As of March 4, temperatures will gradually increase, with daytime highs reaching 15 degrees Celsius by the weekend. However, there will be a noticeable difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures, which could drop to 4 degrees Celsius,” Özdemir explained.

While Istanbul and some other regions enjoy the taste of spring, temperature fluctuations and occasional rain showers may still occur in the second half of the month, meteorologists underlined.

Istanbul dams fill up after heavy snowfall

Recent snowfall has had a positive impact on Istanbul’s water supply, with the city's reservoir levels increasing by 10 percent over the past week and surpassing a 70 percent fill rate.

This marked significant progress as the fill factor had dropped to around 27.4 percent in November last year.

The highest water levels were recorded in the Istrancalar dam at 99.1 percent, Elmalı at 91.7 percent and Kazandere at 77.3 percent, while only Sazlıdere and Alibey dams remained below 60 percent.

Meanwhile, heavy snowfall continues to disrupt daily life in some parts of Türkiye, leading to school closures in several provinces. In six districts of Bingöl in the east and the Black Sea city of Gümüşhane’s Şiran district, authorities suspended education due to snowy weather.

 Dust storms expected to hit southeastern Türkiye

Despite heralds of warmer temperatures after a cold spell for most of the country, meteorologists have also issued warnings for a dense dust storm, expected to arrive from Syria and engulf southeastern Türkiye.

Beginning on March 4, strong winds will carry dust into provinces Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Mardin and Diyarbakır, reducing air quality and visibility.

Experts caution that the dust clouds could persist for up to three days, potentially causing respiratory issues and travel disruptions.

Vulnerable groups, including those with respiratory conditions, children and the elderly, are advised to stay indoors as much as possible. Drivers are also urged to take extra precautions, particularly during peak traffic hours when visibility may be significantly reduced.