site.btaSiberian Cold Hits Central, Eastern Turkiye, with Temperatures Dropping to Minus 20C

Siberian cold has gripped central and eastern Turkiye; temperatures have dropped to minus 20C, Turkish media report.

Due to the cold and heavy snowfall and blizzards, Thursday was also a non-school day in a number of counties in Turkiye. In many places, citizens are having difficulty getting around due to icy conditions, according to CNN Turk television.

The lowest temperature in the country on Thursday, minus 20.3C, was measured in the town of Canakli, in the county of Nigde (central Turkiye). In the central county of Sivas, the temperature recorded was 19.3C, while in Kayseri (Central Anatolia) it was minus 18.5C. In the eastern districts of Erzincan and Malatya, temperatures dropped to minus 18.1C.

Access to a number of villages in eastern Turkiye was blocked due to heavy snowfall and thick snow cover. The authorities' efforts to clear the snow in the area are continuing, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Because of the cold, citizens in many places are even covering their cars with blankets after parking them.

Meanwhile, winter sports enthusiasts are very happy because of the earlier start of the winter season (as early as November).