Türkiye experienced 1,011 extreme meteorological events last year, highlighting the growing intensity and frequency of climate-related risks across the country, according to the 2025 Türkiye Climate Assessment Report released by the General Directorate of Meteorology under the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.
Data from 220 meteorological observation stations nationwide show that Türkiye’s average annual temperature reached 15.1 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit), exceeding the 1991-2020 average by 1.2 degrees Celsius, or approximately 8.6% above the long-term norm. This placed the year among the five warmest years recorded in the past 55 years.
The report notes that July 2025 became the hottest July on record, with an average temperature of 26.9 degrees Celsius, while the summer season ranked as the second hottest, averaging 25.5 degrees Celsius. Temperatures remained above seasonal norms on 268 out of 365 days, meaning 73.4% of the year was warmer than average.
Record-breaking maximum temperatures were registered at 191 stations, representing 86.8% of all monitoring stations nationwide. The highest temperature ever measured in Türkiye, 50.5 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Silopi in July, while the lowest temperature, minus 32.6 degrees Celsius, was observed in Horasan in February.
Seasonal averages exceeded long-term norms across all four seasons. Winter temperatures were 0.8 degrees Celsius above average (approximately 20%), spring was plus 1.2 degrees Celsius (9.7%), summer 1.5 degrees Celsius (6.3%) and autumn 1.2 degrees Celsius (7.8%), confirming a persistent, year-round warming trend.
The frequency and duration of heat waves increased sharply. Tokat recorded the highest number of heat waves, with five events, while Şırnak experienced the longest cumulative duration at 34 days. In many regions, heatwave frequency rose well above the historical norm of one to two events, in some cases more than doubling previous averages.
Cold extremes also remained notable. Horasan and Kızılcahamam each recorded three cold waves, while Horasan experienced the longest cold-wave duration at 18 days, underscoring increasing temperature variability alongside overall warming.
Precipitation levels showed an even more pronounced decline. Türkiye’s average areal rainfall fell to 414.9 kilograms per square meter (414.9 millimeters), which is 27.6% below the 1991-2020 average of 573.4 kilograms. Compared to the previous year, rainfall declined by 22.8%, making 2025 the driest year since 1964 and the lowest precipitation level in the past 61 years.
Regional disparities were stark. Annual rainfall exceeded 1,000 millimeters in the eastern Black Sea region, while it dropped below 250 millimeters in parts of Central Anatolia and southeastern Türkiye. In and around Şanlıurfa, Kilis, Gaziantep, and Hatay, precipitation fell by more than 60%, significantly heightening drought stress on agriculture and water systems.
Of the 1,011 extreme meteorological events recorded nationwide, 27% were storms, 23% heavy rainfall and flooding, 17% hail, 11% snowfall, 7% frost, 5% lightning, 2% landslides, and 2% tornadoes. Other events, including avalanches, forest fires, fog, and dust storms, collectively accounted for less than 1% of total incidents.