Hot, sunny weather is finally coming to Turkey after an early summer full of heavy rainfall and low temperatures, cheering those with beach-vacation plans but prompting fears of forest fires.
The western, central and southern parts of the country will see a considerable temperature increase over the rest of the week, the Turkish State Meteorological Service, or DMİ, predicted in forecasts published on its official website Monday.
Temperatures will exceed typical seasonal levels in the immediate future in the country’s central and eastern regions, the DMİ said, warning residents and visitors to take all necessary precautions to avoid possible negative effects such as sunstroke.
According to meteorology experts, areas where temperatures are high and humidity is low face an elevated risk of forest fires. People living in such areas, including the southeastern provinces of Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş and Siirt, should be alert to the possibility of blazes.
The meteorological service also reported that the coastal northwestern part of the country, including the provinces of Giresun, Hopa, Kastamonu, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Sinop and Trabzon, would be subject to temporary, localized thunderstorms.
Gentle to moderate winds are expected in the southern and southwestern parts of Turkey, blowing toward the north and northwest, and are also expected in the Mediterranean, eastern and southeastern Anatolian regions.
Desert-like heat has already started to appear in some Turkish provinces with temperatures in southeastern Şanlıurfa reaching 43 degrees Celsius, prompting most people to stay indoors or in the shade. Although the practice is very dangerous, children in Şanlıurfa have already started jumping into irrigation channels and ponds to seek relief from the heat.
The Pülümür and Munzur waterways in the eastern province of Tunceli, where temperatures have hit 41 degrees, have also become a draw for residents and tourists alike.
