The first snowfall of the year in Istanbul made even the Maiden's Tower hard to see through the storm.

The heavy rain and south wind that started early in the morning across the city caused disruptions. While sea and air transportation services were interrupted, the first snow of the year also fell in the high areas of Istanbul.

In the images shared from Hava Forum, it was seen that the Maiden's Tower, one of Istanbul's iconic landmarks, was almost out of sight due to the storm. The white cover formed by the snow falling in the high areas of Istanbul delighted the viewers. Especially, the photo shared from Aydos Forest showcased the longed-for snowy landscape.

THE STORM DISRUPTED LIFE

On the other hand, a fallen tree on the Beşiktaş Ak Merkez Connection Road caused difficult moments for drivers. A tree fell on a parked car on Şehit Muhtar Ali Rıza Street in Ortaköy. While the fire department and municipal teams intervened to cut the tree, the vehicle sustained minor damage. Parts of the membrane from the roof of a 5-story apartment building on Karlıdere Street in Üsküdar fell onto the roof of the adjacent building. Firefighters who arrived at the scene after the notification are continuing their work. Due to heavy rain and wind, passengers at both bus and metrobus stops in Bahçelievler experienced difficult moments.

To avoid being affected by the rain, citizens took shelter under the awnings of shops and building entrances. The downpour also caused difficult moments for drivers, as traffic disruptions were observed on the D-100 highway in the Merter area.

TRANSPORTATION WAS ALSO DISRUPTED

On the other hand, due to adverse weather conditions, services on the TF1 Maçka-Taşkışla and TF2 Eyüp-Piyer Loti cable car lines could not be operated. Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the City Lines' Büyükada-Sedef Island Line, Maltepe-Büyükada-Heybeliada-Burgazada-Kınalıada Line, and Adalar-Beşiktaş services could not be operated. The Aşiyan-Üsküdar Line services will be conducted without stopping at Küçüksu until further notice, while Bebek-Üsküdar and Bebek-Küçüksu-Anadolu Hisarı-Bebek services will also be carried out without stopping at Küçüksu.

Due to the storm, planes also struggled to land at Istanbul Airport. Some planes were redirected to surrounding provinces for landing.