A heat wave is expected to hit Turkey during Eid al-Adha, a four-day holiday scheduled for July 20-23 this year, a meteorologist has warned.
According to the latest data, temperatures in the Marmara Sea, the Aegean Sea, the eastern Mediterranean and some parts of Central Anatolia will be about 5-7 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages.
Noting that Turkey is currently under the influence of low pressure in Basra with the expansion of the monsoon, meteorologist Guven Ozdemir warned that the air temperature will rise in the coming days.
“This low pressure, which manifests itself in the summer months, increases the temperature and evaporation. Thus, the humidity level in Istanbul is about 90 percent. The peak temperature is expected on July 19, “Ozdemir said.
Ozdemir added that while thermometers show 35 degrees Celsius, the temperature felt due to humidity will rise to 40 degrees Celsius.
Saying that the temperature will reach 40 degrees Celsius on July 20 in Ankara and the Central Anatolia region, Ozdemir stressed that the temperature felt throughout the Turkish capital could reach 43 degrees.
“I advise citizens not to go outside from 10:00 to 17:00 until the second day (July 21) of Eid al-Adha,” he said, adding that those suffering from chronic diseases such as asthma, heart disease should be very careful.
The meteorologist noted that at the end of the holiday the weather may get colder, and that there may even be precipitation in the Black and Marmara regions.
Warning that torrential rains could occur in some regions, which could lead to floods, as in the Black Sea province of Riga, Ozdemir warned the authorities and citizens to be always ready for such unexpected weather conditions.
Ozdemir advised residents to wear a hat and even have an umbrella when going outside, as well as be careful to avoid sunstroke, and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.