Turkish State Meteorological Service

Heavy rains are set to sweep across Türkiye this week, with Istanbul bracing for downpours and flash floods expected to hit the southern province of Antalya and the southwestern province of Muğla, as a cold snap tightens its grip on the country.

The first snowfall of the season has dusted Türkiye's ski resorts, giving an early taste of winter that has sparked excitement in the tourism sector and raised hopes for a thriving season ahead.

With snow piling up to over 50 centimeters in certain areas, resorts are gearing up for their official opening in December.

A winter chill is expected to sweep across Türkiye this weekend, with temperatures likely to drop and sleet and snow possibly blanketing Istanbul on Nov. 23, giving children the long-awaited chance to engage in snowball fights, sledding and building snowmen in their gardens.

A shift to colder, rainier weather is expected across most parts of Türkiye this weekend, as the recent warm spell gives way to a November cooldown, according to the latest weekly report from meteorologists.

The country's northern and central regions are expected to witness foggy weather, while temperatures are predicted to remain stable nationwide, according to the Turkish State Meteorological Service's weekly report.

Clear skies and sunny weather are on the horizon for the country until the weekend, but meteorologists warn that rain is set to return shortly thereafter.

In its weekly report outlining conditions until Oct. 14, the Turkish State Meteorological Service expects a brief break from the recent rainfall, particularly in the northeastern cities, which saw downpours on Oct. 8.

Torrential rains accompanied by thunderstorms battered the country's largest metropolis Istanbul, as well as the northwestern provinces of Kırklareli and Tekirdağ, wreaking havoc and disrupting daily life.

The Turkish State Meteorological Service had issued an alert for severe rainfall in the western part of the Marmara region beginning the evening of Sept. 29.

Meteorological balloons play a crucial role in weather forecasting in Türkiye, where they are released into the atmosphere at nine different locations across the country with domestically produced devices.

Globally, nearly a thousand such points exist where these balloons are launched.

The current above-average temperatures across the country are expected to decrease by 4 to 5 degrees Celsius and return to seasonal norms by the end of the week, with a likely downpour in inland regions, according to an expert.

With Türkiye continuing to swelter under high temperatures, experts warn of an imminent heat wave likely to arrive in early August.