Turkey Weather

Turkey climate

Turkey's position bridging Europe and Asia, combined with its varied topography, creates remarkable climate diversity. The Mediterranean and Aegean coasts enjoy hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters typical of the Mediterranean climate. The Black Sea coast is dramatically different — mild, humid, and green year-round with heavy rainfall exceeding 2,200mm in the eastern provinces. The vast Anatolian plateau in the interior has a continental climate with harsh winters and warm, dry summers.

Eastern Turkey is one of the coldest inhabited regions in the Middle East, with winter temperatures in cities like Erzurum and Kars dropping below -25°C and heavy snowfall persisting for months. The southeastern region bordering Syria and Iraq experiences extreme summer heat with temperatures above 45°C. The Taurus Mountains act as a climate barrier between the mild Mediterranean coast and the harsh interior, with heavy winter snowfall at higher elevations.

Istanbul's position on the Bosphorus gives it a transitional climate between Mediterranean and oceanic, with warm, humid summers around 28°C and cool, rainy winters around 6°C with occasional snow. Antalya on the Mediterranean coast has hot summers above 35°C and mild winters ideal for year-round tourism. Ankara on the Anatolian plateau is colder and drier with significant snow in winter. Trabzon on the Black Sea coast is green and rainy, resembling a completely different country.