Rain returns as temperatures stay above seasonal norms across Türkiye

ANKARA

Temperatures across Türkiye are expected to remain 2 to 4 degrees Celsius above seasonal norms in the coming days, while several provinces will see intermittent rain, according to the country’s official weather bureau.

Cengiz Çelik, a weather forecasting expert at the Turkish State Meteorological Service, said that warm conditions will persist until the weekend, though scattered showers and thunderstorms are likely across the country’s western and central regions over the next few days.

Showers began to take a hold of the Marmara region on Nov. 5, including the provinces of Edirne and Tekirdağ, and are set to spread to parts of the Aegean, western Mediterranean and Central Anatolia by Nov. 6.

On Nov. 6, showers will expand to the provinces of Bursa, Konya, Afyonkarahisar, Antalya and Isparta.

The bureau has also warned of heavy downpours in several cities, including Manisa, Denizli, Muğla and several central Anatolian provinces, through Nov. 7, urging residents to be cautious of flash floods, lightning and strong winds.

In the megacity of Istanbul, intermittent showers are forecast Nov. 6 and 7, with daytime temperatures around 19 to 20 degrees. The capital Ankara is likely to experience thunderstorms on the same dates, while the western province of İzmir will remain dry and partly cloudy through the week, with highs reaching 23 to 24 degrees.

By the weekend, the rain will taper off, with mostly dry and mild conditions forecast across the country, except for brief showers in western Thrace.

The expected rainfall comes amid growing concern over declining reservoir levels and water shortages in parts of Türkiye.

Several provinces, including major cities İzmir and Bursa, have already implemented scheduled water cuts in recent months after prolonged dry weather and unseasonably high temperatures reduced water storage in dams.

Prominent meteorologist Professor Orhan Şen previously warned that the situation could reach a “disaster level” next summer if urgent measures are not taken. He called for immediate action, noting that the situation poses a risk for both drinking water and agriculture.

Officials hope that the forecasted rain will help ease drought-related pressures, though experts caution that sustained precipitation over the coming months will be necessary to restore water reserves to healthy levels.

In a bid to curb these growing climate risks, the environment ministry is preparing local climate change action plans for all 81 provinces, with water management at the core.