According to the data of the General Directorate of Meteorology, while the average temperature dropped by 0.2 degrees compared to normal in May, precipitation increased by 33 percent compared to normal. Ardahan, Artvin, Osmaniye, Rize and Trabzon received the highest rainfall in the last 64 years.
According to the temperature and precipitation reports and meteorological drought maps of the General Directorate of Meteorology for May, the temperature decreased compared to normal, precipitation increased and the drought map showed the greenest image of recent years in Turkey.
According to the reports, temperatures in May were below seasonal norms in Kırklareli, Antakya, Karabük, Boyabat, Kızılcahamam, İspir and Doğubeyazıt. It was above seasonal normals in Kuşadası, Aydın, Bodrum, Datça, Marmaris, Seferihisar, Isparta, Fethiye, Alanya, Anamur, Kaş, Senirkent, Eğirdir, Acıpayam, Köyceğiz, Manavgat, Kale-Demre, Gazipaşa and Ceylanpınar.
Temperatures in other parts of the country were around seasonal norms, while the average temperature in May in 1991-2020 was 17.1 degrees, this May’s temperature was 16.9 degrees, 0.2 degrees below normal. Extreme temperatures this May, the lowest temperature was recorded in Erzurum and Sarıkamış with minus 2.9 degrees, and the highest temperature was recorded in Ceylanpınar with 39.6 degrees.
RAINFALL INCREASED BY 33 PERCENT
According to the 2024 May Area Precipitation Report, May precipitation in Turkey was above the normal and last year’s May precipitation. This year’s May precipitation was 70.3 mm, May normal (1991-2020) was 52.7 mm, and last year’s May precipitation was 66.8 mm. There was a 33 percent increase in precipitation compared to normal and a 5 percent increase compared to last year’s May precipitation.
While May precipitation was twice as high as normal in Ankara, Konya, Karaman, Trabzon, Adana, Osmaniye, Hatay, Siirt and Şırnak, it decreased by 40 percent in the Coastal Aegean, Edirne, Tekirdağ, Çanakkale, Balıkesir, Mardin, Mersin and Antalya. In the south of Muğla, precipitation decreased by more than 80 percent. All regions except Marmara and Aegean regions received above normal precipitation throughout the region, with the Central Anatolia Region showing the highest increase with 49 percent.
5 PROVINCES RECORD RAINFALL IN LAST 64 YEARS
The highest precipitation was seen in Rize with 165.4 mm in province-wide precipitation. Ardahan, Artvin, Osmaniye, Rize and Trabzon had the highest rainfall in the last 64 years. Turkey experienced an average of 12.5 rainy days in May. Looking at the meteorological drought maps, it was seen that the threat of extraordinary and severe drought, which has been effective in many parts of the country in recent years, was effective in Tekirdağ, Çanakkale, Balıkesir, Uşak, Aydın, Muğla, Kaş and Alanya in the May map, while there was no normal or above risk in most of the country.
