Precipitation in Türkiye in January decreased by 52% compared to the same month in 2022 and remained at the lowest level in the last 22 years, the Turkish State Meteorological Service's (TSMS) report showed Thursday.
According to the information compiled from the TSMS by Anadolu Agency (AA), the average rainfall for the month of January covering the period between 1991-2020 was 69.8 kilograms per square meter.
The amount of precipitation in the same month last year was 87.3 kilograms per square meter, while the measurement for January this year was 33.2 kilograms, which is the lowest level in the last 22 years.
Rainfalls in January overall in Türkiye were recorded below the normal values and below the amount from last year. The rainfall dropped by 52% overall, and 62% compared to the same period last year.
Precipitation throughout the regions was also below the normal levels with the highest decrease recorded in the southeastern Anatolia region at 74%.
Precipitation was slightly above normal in the west of the Çanakkale-Antalya line, while it dropped in the eastern regions of the country. The decrease rate reached over 80% in the Kars, Ardahan, Erzurum, the Eastern Mediterranean, north and south of Central Anatolia, northeast of Eastern Anatolia, and around Şırnak, Mardin and Şanlıurfa.
In January, the highest rainfall was in Antalya with 145 kilograms per square meter, and the least precipitation was in Kars with 4.7 kilograms per square meter. The largest decrease in precipitation compared to normal was recorded in the central province of Çankırı with 87%, and the greatest increase was recorded in southwestern Burdur with 31%.
While the number of rainy days was calculated as 11.7 days on average over an almost 30-year period (between 1991-2020), the meteorology service's report for January pointed to an average amount of 7.3 days.
The number of rainy days as three days or less was recorded in central and eastern Anatolia, as well as in areas around Mardin, Şırnak and Batman. On the other hand, the northern Marmara region, the western coast of Izmir and Muğla, as well as Mediterranean Antalya received rainfall for around 10-15 days.
With the decrease in precipitation in January across Türkiye, drought, which has been gripping the country for a while now, also become evident.
According to meteorological drought analyses obtained in quarterly periods, the provinces where severe drought, defined as "extraordinary drought," showed its effect are listed as follows: "The coastal areas of Tekirdağ, Çanakkale and Balıkesir, the coasts of Istanbul, Yalova and Kocaeli, the vicinity of Düzce, Sakarya, Bilecik, Eskişehir, Kütahya, Afyonkarahisar and Isparta, east of Ankara, Kırıkkale, Kırşehir, Aksaray, Nevşehir, Çankırı, Konya, surroundings of Karaman, Rize and east of Bayburt and Erzincan, Kars, Muş, Bitlis and Siirt, east of Van, Mersin coasts and inner parts of Osmaniye.''
However, following the snowfall during the last month, the levels in dams that provide water for Istanbul, the country's most populated city which was facing a serious shortage in supplies late in 2022 and in early 2023, has risen this month.
Data presented by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) and Water and Sewage Administration (ISKI) showed that the water level in dams, which dropped to 28.75% this year, rose after a snowfall and reached the level of 35.08% as of Thursday. According to the data from the two institutions, the amount of precipitation falling into the dams this year was 99.91 kilograms per square meter.
At the same time, Bursa Metropolitan Municipality urged citizens to save water after the significant decrease in the water rates of the dams that meet the city's drinking water needs.
According to the statement made by the municipality, the Bursa Water and Sewage Administration has been working to ensure citizens have adequate access to water resources. While the water in Nilüfer Dam with an annual capacity of 60 million cubic meters, which supplies most of Bursa, has completely run out, the occupancy rate of Doğancı Dam with a capacity of 40 million cubic meters has decreased to 24%.
