04.02.2025 17:21
The Disaster Affairs Department of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, AKOM, announced that from Wednesday afternoon until Friday morning, strong snow showers accompanied by severe winds will be effective throughout Istanbul.
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Disaster Affairs Directorate (AKOM) announced that the air temperatures, which have been around 6-7 degrees, are expected to drop below 4 degrees starting this evening, and that mixed rain and snow showers, especially in the northern districts, are expected to begin after the night hours.
HOW LONG WILL THE SNOW LAST?
According to AKOM's statement, from Wednesday afternoon until Friday morning, heavy snow showers accompanied by strong winds will be effective throughout Istanbul. It is predicted that the northern winds, expected to blow at speeds of 40-70 kilometers per hour, will cause regional heavy snowfall as they pass over the Black Sea, gathering moisture. AKOM warned that if temperatures drop by another 1-2 degrees contrary to current forecasts, snow thickness of 3 to 10 centimeters could occur even in the city center. It is expected that the snowfall will turn into light rain by Friday morning, while temperatures will continue to remain around winter values of 5-7 degrees.
BE CAREFUL OF ICING
AKOM warned Istanbul residents about potential transportation disruptions, tree and pole collapses, roof and sign blow-offs, stove and chimney gas poisoning, and the risk of icing due to heavy snowfall and cold weather. It emphasized that drivers should be cautious due to icing on the roads, especially in the morning and evening hours, while announcing that municipal teams would take necessary actions to keep the roads clear in accordance with AKOM and the Icing Early Warning System (BEUS) messages.
STORM AND FROST WARNING
In its statement, AKOM listed the severity levels of possible weather events as follows: "Wind: 50-61 km/h, Storm: 62-74 km/h, Strong storm: 75-88 km/h, Full storm: 89-102 km/h, Heavy snow: between 5-20 cm, Intense snow: 20 cm and above." It is recommended that Istanbul residents be cautious against severe weather conditions, especially to be careful against the wind in open areas.