Istanbul and the region of Thrace in Turkey’s northwest were hit by heavy snowfall and strong wind which caused flight delays.
Turkish Airlines cancelled its January 4 Salonika and Kosice international flights as well as many of its domestic flights taking off from Istanbul’s Atatürk and Sabiha Gökçen airports due to the weather conditions.
Istanbul’s higher areas, such as the district of Beylikdüzü, were hit by snowfall on January 3 night along with strong winds, Hurriyet reported.
Following warnings of harsher weather conditions by the Turkish State Meteorological Service, snowplows and salt trucks were waiting ready to intervene in the event of possible icing.
Heavy snowfall was expected to continue in Thracian provinces of Tekirdağ and Kırklareli and Istanbul’s western parts until the afternoon of January 4.
Blizzard and snowfall disrupted life in Thrace, with access to 50 schools in the region being blocked due to snowstorms.
Many roads to villages in the western province of Edrine were shut on January 4 due to heavy snow. Authorities have said they will clear snow from the roads soon.
