A cold spell hailing from the Balkans is set to hit Turkey's western regions today. Starting from northwest, a new weather system will mark the end of about two months of relatively warm weather.
The General Directorate of Meteorology announced that rainfall will accompany a steep drop in temperatures. A six-to-12 degrees Celsius decrease is anticipated in departure from seasonal norms. The country's Trakya region in the northwest, which encompasses Kırklareli, Tekirdağ and Edirne will see a five-to-seven degree drop from yesterday's 20-21 degrees.
Starting today, most regions of the country save for year-round warm spots in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions in western and southern Turkey, will be awash with dense rainfall. Heavier precipitation is the forecast for the western part of the north's Black Sea region, as well as Tunceli, Bingöl, Şırnak, Bitlis, Hakkari and Diyarbakır in the east and parts of Muğla and Antalya in the south.
Snowfall is predicted on higher ground in the Black Sea region, central Turkey and mountainous areas in Kütahya and Afyonkarahisar in the west.
Strong winds are also forecast for most regions. Meteorology experts say cold and rainy weather systems will end on Saturday. They will be replaced by an increase in temperatures and the coming week will see a rise in temperatures above the seasonal norm.
