Turkey's August 2024 rainfall doubles compared to last year

Duvar English

Rainfall across Turkey in this past August was double last year’s levels at 13.9 kilograms per square meter, reported the State Meteorological Service’s August 2024 Precipitation Report. 

Last August, rainfall was recorded at half the amount at 6.4 kilograms per square meter. Still, 2024 levels was below the long-term average of August rainfall. Based on the 1991-2020 period, was calculated at 14.8 kilograms per square meter.

Compared to the long-term average, there was a seven percent decrease in rainfall, but it more than doubled compared to August last year.

In August, rainfall increased across the entire Central Anatolia region, except for the areas around Eskişehir, Ankara, and Karaman provinces. Notably, the areas around Nevşehir received more than three times the normal amount of rainfall.

However, a decrease of over 80 percent in rainfall was observed in some areas, including the southern Marmara Region, Western Black Sea, coastal areas of the Aegean Region, and parts of the Southeastern Anatolia Region, as well as the southern Antalya, Mersin, Adana, Hatay, and eastern Hakkari provinces.

Rainfall across most regions, except for the Mediterranean and Central Anatolia, was below normal, with the Marmara Region experiencing the largest decline at 65 percent.

In August the highest rainfall was recorded in the northern province of Rize, with 141.6 kilograms per square meter, while the lowest was in the southeastern Mardin province, with 0.1 kilograms per square meter.

The central Nevşehir province saw the largest increase in rainfall, with over 100 percent more than normal, while Yalova of the Marmara region experienced the steepest decline, at 92 percent.

Yalova recorded its lowest August rainfall in 14 years, while the eastern Şırnak had its lowest in 12 years. In contrast, Nevşehir saw its highest August rainfall in 25 years, while the central Niğde and Osmaniye in 22 years, and Kayseri in 17 years.

The average number of rainy days in August was three days for the 1991-2020 period, while this August, the national average was 3.5 days.

The coastal areas of the Eastern Black Sea Region and areas around Çankırı received rainfall for 10 to 15 days, while the coastal areas of the Aegean Region and the eastern parts of Şanlıurfa and western Mardin received no rainfall at all.

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