Snow buries eastern Turkey, forces hundreds of flight cancellations in Istanbul

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

December 31,2015; 12:40PM,EST

 

 

The biggest snowfall so far this season will continue to unfold in eastern and northern Turkey, including Istanbul, through Friday.
Mus, Erzurum, Van and surrounding areas in eastern Turkey face substantial snow as unseasonably cold air plunges southward from eastern Europe and a pair of storm systems arrive from the Mediterranean Sea.
A persistent snow will total 15-30 cm (6-12 inches) in these lower-elevation cities with localized higher amounts. The surrounding mountains will have widespread totals in excess of 30 cm (12 inches).
"More than 60 cm (24 inches) can bury the mountains in southeastern Turkey," AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Douty said.

Mostly rain is expected south of these mountains from Gaziantep to Batman. However, snow can mix in for a time both Thursday and Friday and leave a quick coating up to 2 cm (1 inch).
The snowfall to the north threatens to cause major travel disruptions, both on the ground and in the air. New Year's Eve festivities may be in jeopardy.
The snow will cover roads, making travel hazardous and extremely difficult for motorists. Airline passengers should prepare for cancellations and are urged to consider alternate plans before the snow arrives.
On its twitter account late Thursday morning, Turkish Airlines announced that the weather in Istanbul was causing many of their flights to be canceled.
Snow will not be confined to eastern Turkey. As the cold air pours over the warmer waters of the Black Sea, bands of snow will stream into the Koroglu and Pontic mountains.
There will be significant accumulations by the end of the week in the mountains, with accumulating snow all the way down to coastal cities such as Samsun.
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Snow will also be in the air around Istanbul for the final days of 2015 and the start of 2016.
On Thursday and Thursday night, a band of heavier snow and squalls will set up across the city. Snow amounts will likely be on the order of 8 cm (3 inches) with higher amounts in the higher terrain and near the Black Sea. The more persistent the snow band is, the higher the snow totals will be.
Due to the recent warmth stored up in roads, lighter snow will mainly accumulate on grassy and elevated surfaces around Istanbul. However, roads could become covered and slick for a time in any heavier bursts of snow.
"During these snow squalls, travel will be difficult and motorists should expect delays," AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards said.

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While Thursday will be the day most active day for snow squalls in Istanbul, snow is still possible on Friday with some squalls in the morning before they shift eastward toward Karasu and Eregli in the afternoon.
Unseasonably cold air from eastern Europe will set the stage for snow across eastern and northern Turkey. Temperatures later this week will be held 6-10 degrees Celsius (10-20 degrees Fahrenheit) below normal.
The air will feel even colder around Istanbul as a gusty wind blows.
Another storm will target Turkey with unsettled weather early next week. It will bring rain to lower elevations. In general, snowfall will be limited to higher terrain as mild air will be in place.