Strong storms hit most of Turkey as snow covers eastern Anatolia

December 10, 2011 – TURKEY – As winter approaches, most of Turkey’s provinces have been hit with cold weather, strong storms and snow, which paralyzed the daily life of many residents. Temperatures dropped several degrees Celsius throughout Turkey on Friday, accompanied by heavy rains, strong winds and snow, which fell in Düzce, Gümüşhane, Erzurum, Denizli and Mersin. Drivers traveling the D-100 had to use chains on their tires when it began to snow in the early hours of Friday. There was also fog along the highway. Teams from the Highways Directorate worked hard to prevent the blockage of roads due to snow. In Gümüşhane, temperatures fell to as low as 13 degrees below zero, which led to the freezing of five lakes across the province. Temperatures were lowest in Turkey’s eastern provinces, with the temperature being observed in Ağrı at 16 degrees below zero. Most provinces in the region — such as Erzurum, Iğdır, Bayburt and Erzincan — were blanketed with snow. Municipalities mobilized to remove snow from the roads to prevent traffic congestion. Snow at Erzurum’s Palandöken ski resort reached 40 centimeters. Officials from the State Meteorology Directorate predict that snowfall in eastern Turkey will continue for two days. On Friday, higher elevations in the western province of Denizli also received the year’s first snow. Schools in Mersin’s Gülnar district were closed for half the day on Friday due to intense snow. Snowfall overnight in Yozgat saw residents of the province wake up to a winter wonderland. People on their way to work began the day clearing snow from their vehicles. –Today’s Zaman