Snowfall hits Türkiye’s highlands, ushering in early winter

ERZURUM

A sudden wave of winter swept across Türkiye’s highlands this week, draping vibrant autumn landscapes in a thick blanket of snow and transforming them into stunning winter wonderlands.

In the eastern city of Erzurum, one of Türkiye’s coldest provinces, residents woke up to a white landscape on Oct. 13 after overnight snowfall reached nearly 10 centimeters in the city center.

Rain began falling in the evening and turned to snow by nightfall, blanketing roads and rooftops. Drivers struggled to navigate the icy streets in vehicles not equipped with winter tires.

“We expected snow, but not this early,” said Tanju Kara, a resident of Erzurum’s Palandöken district, as he cleared snow from his car. “It was a surprise for all of us. Hopefully, the winter won’t be too harsh.”

Snowfall also covered several districts of the city. The regional meteorological service said intermittent snow was expected to continue through the evening on Oct. 13.

In neighboring Erzincan, rain also gave way to snow in high-altitude areas.

Further west, Uludağ, one of Türkiye’s most popular winter tourism destinations in the northwestern city of Bursa, saw its first snow of the season.

Following heavy rain, snow began to fall in the evening, covering the resort’s hotels and ski slopes with a 5-centimeter layer.

“We’re very excited to see the first snow,” said Halil Kaya, a cafe and ski lift operator in Uludağ. “We’re hoping for a longer season. All the facilities and ski runs are ready.”

Temperatures on the mountain dropped to around minus 1 degrees Celsius, while many visitors gathered at the summit late at night to take photos and enjoy the snow.

In the eastern province of Van, snow fell on the high mountain passes, accompanied by dense fog.

Kars, another eastern province, saw its first snowfall of the season, with residents building the year’s first snowmen as temperatures plunged to minus 5 degrees.

Meanwhile, the eastern city of Bingöl’s highlands also turned white overnight, delighting locals after days of cold rain.

Even parts of southern Türkiye experienced snowfall. In the Mediterranean province of Antalya’s Akseki district, snowfall blanketed high-altitude plateaus for the first time this season.

Snow depth in some areas reached up to 10 centimeters, marking an unusually early winter event for the region.