As winter nears its end, Türkiye is experiencing widespread snowfall from east to west, disrupting daily life and transportation. While Istanbul saw its most significant snowfall in months, authorities warned that the wintry conditions would persist through the weekend. Schools across much of the country suspended in-person education due to the severe weather.
In eastern Türkiye, heavy snowfall paralyzed transportation, with some areas buried under more than 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snow. Erzurum, Kars, Ağrı, Erzincan, Ardahan and Tunceli were among the hardest-hit provinces, where 1,816 settlements became inaccessible due to road closures. Municipal teams worked around the clock to clear streets, sidewalks and public spaces, while icicles formed on rooftops and fountains as temperatures dropped sharply.
Istanbul, home to nearly 16 million people, was closely monitored as snowfall continued intermittently. The city’s traffic remained unusually light on the last business day of the week, as many residents opted for public transportation instead of driving. The suspension of in-person education further eased congestion. In line with precautions announced by the governor’s office, motorcycles and courier services were temporarily banned from the roads to ensure safety.
One of the most notable effects of the snowfall in Istanbul was a sharp rise in the city’s water reserves. The average water level in reservoirs supplying the metropolis climbed 10.23 percentage points in the past week, reaching 70.05%, according to data from the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI). The city’s reservoirs had seen dangerously low levels, falling to 27.49% in late November before the recent precipitation helped replenish them.
Despite the freezing temperatures, Istanbul’s snowfall also brought moments of joy. In Taksim Square, a popular tourist destination, police officers and residents engaged in a spontaneous snowball fight, providing a rare scene of camaraderie amid the cold. Tourists gathered around the iconic Republic Monument, capturing the snow-covered cityscape in photographs. Across the city, people danced in the streets, played in the snow, and strolled along the seaside, reveling in the winter atmosphere.
Elsewhere in the country, the Black Sea region also experienced significant snowfall, particularly in the western and mountainous areas. In Kastamonu, access to 303 villages was temporarily cut off as snow blanketed the region. Local authorities deployed teams to reopen blocked roads. In Samsun, where temperatures dropped to minus 4 degrees Celsius (24 degrees Fahrenheit), rooftops and vehicles were covered in a thick white layer, while icy conditions left some cars stranded on the roads.
In contrast, Türkiye’s southern provinces saw little impact from the snow, with only mountainous areas receiving significant accumulation. Urban centers in the region remained largely unaffected.
Authorities have urged residents to exercise caution in the coming days as winter conditions persist, with meteorologists forecasting more snowfall over the weekend in many parts of the country.
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