Rainfall across Türkiye in December declined significantly, remaining well below both seasonal norms and last year’s levels, according to official meteorological data.
The December 2025 Areal Precipitation Report of the General Directorate of Meteorology under the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change shows that nationwide precipitation decreased by 21% compared to the long-term average and by 18% compared to December 2024.
Based on the 1991-2020 reference period, the long-term December rainfall average stands at 75.7 kilograms per square meter (75.7 millimeters). This figure dropped to 73 kilograms in December 2024 and further declined to 60.1 kilograms per square meter in December 2025.
The data indicates that precipitation levels remained below normal across most regions of the country, reflecting continued variability in seasonal rainfall patterns.
While the Black Sea and eastern Anatolia regions recorded rainfall above seasonal averages, all other regions experienced precipitation below normal levels.
The sharpest decline was observed in the Marmara region, where rainfall fell 45% below average, marking the lowest December precipitation recorded in the past 10 years.
At the provincial level, rainfall decreased by more than 60% in areas surrounding Kırklareli, Tekirdağ, Edirne, Çanakkale, Balıkesir, Manisa, Uşak, Kütahya, Çorum, Osmaniye, Gaziantep and Kilis.
In contrast, precipitation increased by more than 60% in Düzce, Zonguldak, Kastamonu, Sinop, Hakkari and Şırnak, highlighting strong regional contrasts in rainfall distribution.
Among provinces, Zonguldak recorded the highest December rainfall at 177.2 kilograms per square meter, while Düzce saw the largest increase compared to normal levels, with precipitation rising 61% above average.
On the opposite end of the scale, Edirne received the least rainfall, measuring 20.1 kilograms per square meter, and also recorded the steepest decline, with precipitation 75% below normal.
December rainfall reached the highest level of the past 24 years in Bartın, Düzce and Zonguldak, and the highest level of the past 15 years in Kastamonu. Meanwhile, Balıkesir experienced its lowest December rainfall in the past decade.
Despite the overall decline in total precipitation, the number of rainy days showed a modest increase. The long-term December average for 1991-2020 is 11.8 days, while the nationwide average in December 2025 rose to 12.4 days.
Areas including Çanakkale, Balıkesir, Bursa, Sakarya, Düzce, Zonguldak, Karabük, Bartın, Kastamonu, Sinop and Samsun recorded more than 25 rainy days during the month.
In contrast, rainy days locally fell below five days in Edirne, Afyonkarahisar, Denizli, Antalya, Adana, Gaziantep and Erzurum, underlining uneven rainfall distribution across the country.
Meteorological authorities note that such regional imbalances in precipitation may have implications for water resources, agriculture and seasonal planning in the coming months.
