Severe winter conditions have tightened their grip on eastern and northeastern Türkiye, turning daily life into a test of endurance as temperatures plunge and authorities step up emergency responses.
The Turkish State Meteorological Service reported that the country’s lowest temperature was recorded overnight in Karaçoban district of Erzurum, where thermometers dropped to minus 30.3°C (minus 22.5°F), The Caspian Post reports, citing Turkish media.
Other frigid readings included minus 28°C in Bezirhane village, Van, and minus 26.3°C in Bulanık, Muş.
In Erzurum, two days of snowfall followed by a sharp freeze left streets coated in ice. Nighttime temperatures in the city center fell to minus 12°C, freezing vehicle windows, public fountains, and forming long icicles along rooftops. Roads and sidewalks became treacherous, prompting intensified salting and safety operations by municipal teams.
Further north, in Kars, temperatures reached minus 19.7°C, freezing rivers and lakes, while frost blanketed vegetation. Residents used carpets and blankets to protect vehicles. In Sarıkamış, homes, vehicles, and workplaces iced over, with authorities continuously clearing snow and salting roads to maintain transport routes.
Similar winter disruptions occurred in Ardahan, where icy roads caused localized transport problems, and in Tunceli, where temperatures fell to minus 6°C, freezing small ponds and road surfaces.
In Ağrı, snowfall was followed by a sharp drop to around minus 20°C, with fog reducing visibility and frozen rivers and streams complicating early commutes. Frost formed on the eyebrows and hair of residents heading to the livestock market, and a minor traffic collision briefly disrupted market access.
As the severe winter persisted, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) confirmed that snow-affected provinces are under close monitoring, with response operations continuing under the Türkiye Disaster Response Plan (TAMP).
In a statement shared on its official social media account, the AFAD said inter-institutional coordination is being maintained through Disaster and Emergency Management Centers, while field teams remain active in critical areas. The authority noted that road-clearing operations are ongoing on routes closed due to heavy snowfall, including the Bolu-Gerede, Karabük and Çankırı-Çerkeş corridors, in cooperation with the General Directorate of Highways.
The AFAD reported that support is being provided to stranded motorists in coordination with Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) teams. A total of 178 AFAD personnel and 47 vehicles, along with 16 Kızılay personnel and four vehicles, are currently deployed in the affected areas. Assistance delivered to citizens includes 782 food packages and 600 blankets.
The authority reiterated warnings for the public to remain cautious against risks such as icing-related transportation disruptions and avalanche danger in snow-covered, high-altitude and steep areas, emphasizing that developments continue to be monitored closely.
Meteorologists had warned of the worsening conditions days earlier. In a statement issued on Friday, the Turkish State Meteorological Service said Türkiye would come under the influence of a cold and rainy weather system advancing from the west, with temperatures expected to drop sharply nationwide.
The forecast noted that rainfall would gradually turn into rain mixed with snow and snowfall, particularly across northern, central and eastern regions, while the cold spell was expected to persist into the following week, increasing risks related to icing, frost, transportation disruptions and agricultural damage.
