Winter in Türkiye

Surrounded by multiple seas and tall mountains, winter in Türkiye is distinguished by variety. Generally, in Türkiye, air starts to get cold in December, and in March you might still want to wear your sweaters. During winter, the Western and Southern Coasts have mild and rainy weather, while the Interior and Eastern Parts see heavy snowfall and cold air.

Air temperatures on Türkiye’s Aegean coast in winter range from 8°C to 15°C during the day, while they can drop to as low as 2°C overnight. Mediterranean and Marmara shores are like Aegean coasts; however, Marmara’s air is colder throughout the day. If you plan to spend your winter by the seaside, a raincoat and waterproof shoes will be your best friends.

The story is different for the interior parts of Türkiye. In Central Anatolian cities Ankara, Konya, Eskişehir, and Cappadocia, the weather cools down even to -2°C during the day, and nighttime temperatures vary between -10°C and 0°C. Cappadocia's winters are characterised by cold, dry air and heavy snowfall. To be warm and cosy in Cappadocia during the winter, layer your clothing with a base layer of thermal wear, such as wool, a jacket for insulation, and a windproof winter coat for protection. 

Eastern Anatolian cities (Erzurum, Kars, Van, and Ağrı) have the coldest weather, especially Erzurum and Kars. Air temperature drops as low as -25°C at nighttime in Eastern Anatolia; during the day, air temperatures might get higher and to 0°C. Southeastern Anatolian cities, Gaziantep, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, and Mardin, have milder weather than Eastern Anatolia; however, air is still colder than Central Anatolia. To stay warm in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia, layer your clothes just like in Cappadocia and add beanies and scarves for the windy days.

As a result of the wide range of weather conditions in Turkey, winter visitors can enjoy an abundance of exciting activities such as skiing in Uludağ, hot air balloon rides in snowy Cappadocia, ice lake exploration in Lake Çıldır, and hot spring relaxation in Pamukkale. Freezing lakes, mountains, oceans, rivers, and waterfalls in the winter create breathtaking natural formations; this is only one example of how Türkiye's nature is one of a kind. Natural wonders abound at Tortum Waterfall, a breathtaking waterfall that displays breathtaking ice sculptures.