Turkey will be hit by a cold and rainy spell starting this Friday, intensifying from the west and spreading eastwards to cover much of the country. Forecasts call for freezing temperatures on New Year’s Eve and New Year in Istanbul and other regions of Türkiye, with wintry conditions particularly severe in the northern and inland regions of Anatolia.
Turkish General Directorate of Meteorology has issued a warning for Istanbul for sleet and freezing temperatures. According to the warning, water mixed with snow is expected on Saturday 27 December in the higher elevations of the Asian part of the city, while on Monday 29 the phenomenon will extend to the whole of Istanbul, with snowfall also expected at higher elevations.
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s Disaster Coordination Centre (AKOM) also issued an alert for adverse weather conditions that will begin to affect the entire city from today, Turkish daily Cumhuriyet reported. According to weather forecasts, the northern and inland regions of Turkey, and especially Istanbul, will be under the influence of a cold snap from Iceland; night-time temperatures in Istanbul are expected to fall to just 5 degrees Celsius from tonight, dropping to near zero in some places. This cold spell could last for 6 to 8 days.
AKOM forecasts also indicate that the wind will blow strongly at times, with gusts in Istanbul between 30 and 60 km/h, accompanied by intermittent precipitation. Although rain will be the dominant phenomenon in most parts of the city, according to AKOM, sleet and light snow is expected in the north of the European side (Arnavutköy, Eyüpsultan and Sarıyer) and in the higher areas on the Asian side (Beykoz, Çekmeköy, Şile, Kartal, Sancaktepe, Sultanbeyli, Pendik and Tuzla), where frost and ice could occur.
Transport complications and flight delays
The winter spell is expected to continue throughout next week, coinciding with New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The authorities warn that the drop in temperatures at night and at dawn may cause ice and frost, increasing the risk of incidents in road transport, as well as flight delays. Therefore, extreme caution is urged during the early hours of the day, especially for drivers and transport operators.
Overall, between 26 December and 2 January 2026, minimum temperatures in Turkey are expected to fall to -3°C in Ankara, 0°C in Istanbul, 1°C in Izmir, -8°C in Konya, -1°C in Kocaeli, -6°C in Bolu, 2°C in Samsun, 4°C in Trabzon, -7°C in Tokat, -17°C in Erzurum, -5°C in Eskişehir, -10°C in Afyonkarahisar, -3°C in Balıkesir and -13°C in Sivas.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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