The Meteorology General Directorate announced reports on the comparison of the average temperatures and rainfall for March 2024 to the 1991-2020 norms, as well as drought analyses. The average temperatures in March were higher than the seasonal norms in various regions like Thrace, the western coasts of the Marmara Region, Istanbul, the coastal areas of the Aegean Region, and parts of the Mediterranean Region.
In March 2024, the average temperature was 9.2 degrees, which is 1.5 degrees higher than the 1991-2020 norms of 7.7 degrees. Extreme temperatures ranged from -22.3 degrees in Ozalp to 31.9 degrees in Adana. March 2024 was the 9th warmest March in the past 53 years, with average maximum temperatures being 4.1 degrees higher and minimum temperatures being 2.9 degrees higher than the 1991-2020 norms.
Across all regions, there was an increase in temperatures. In Marmara, the average temperature for March 2024 increased by 2.2 degrees compared to the 1991-2020 norms. In the Egean and Mediterranean regions, temperatures rose by 1.8 and 1.6 degrees respectively. In Inner Anatolia, the increase was 1.4 degrees, while in the Black Sea region, it was 1.6 degrees. Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia also saw temperature increases of 1.1 and 0.2 degrees, respectively.
According to the rainfall report, overall rainfall in Turkey in March 2024 was above the normal average but lower than the previous year’s March. The total rainfall for March 2024 was measured at 69.5 mm, compared to the 61.2 mm normal for 1991-2020 and 95.5 mm in March 2023. Rainfall showed a 14% increase from the normal and a 27% decrease from the previous year.
Rainfall was particularly high in the eastern and southern parts of Eastern Anatolia and Southeastern Turkey, exceeding normal levels by up to twice as much in places like Hakkari, Sirnak, Siirt, and Van. However, there were significant decreases in rainfall, exceeding 40%, in regions like the western part of Antalya, southern Konya, Isparta, and Bilecik. The Mediterranean region experienced its lowest March rainfall in the last 11 years.
The highest rainfall in the region was recorded in Sirnak at 207.9 mm, while Van saw its highest rainfall levels in the past 21 years. Conversely, Kırıkkale had the lowest recorded rainfall at 29 mm. Isparta saw the highest decrease in rainfall at 35%, while Sirnak experienced an increase of over 100% compared to normal levels. Overall, there were an average of 12.8 rainy days in March across Turkey, with some regions experiencing between 20-25 rainy days.
Certain regions like the southern part of the Egean and the middle and western parts of the Mediterranean saw fewer rainy days, sometimes below 10 days, during March. The variations in rainfall and temperature patterns across different regions of Turkey in March 2024 highlight the diverse climatic conditions present in the country and the importance of monitoring and analyzing these changes for future planning and adaptation strategies.
