Prolonged summer heat in Turkey to persist until October, according to an expert's prediction.
Turkey is currently grappling with a severe drought and wildfire crisis, as precipitation has declined by 74 percent, according to recent data. This precipitous drop in rainfall has left the soil unable to retain moisture, making it impossible for farmers to plant.
The situation is further exacerbated by the extended summer season, with autumn expected to hold off until October, and even into mid-October, Turkey may experience a warm, summer-like climate. This prolonged heatwave has contributed to the ongoing wildfire crisis, with hundreds of blazes breaking out in June and July.
These wildfires have been particularly devastating, resulting in the deaths of 20 people, forcing 80,000 to evacuate, and burning over 2.47 million acres of land in the eastern Mediterranean. The findings of World Weather Attribution, a group of researchers that examines the link between extreme weather events and climate change, have raised concerns about the role of climate change in these disasters.
The study by World Weather Attribution indicates that rising temperatures and reduced rainfall, both symptoms of climate change, have intensified massive wildfires not only in Turkey but also in Greece and Cyprus this summer. In fact, the wildfires in Europe in 2025, the worst recorded year of wildfires, were 22 percent more intense due to climate change.
As the temperatures across Turkey are expected to dip slightly starting from September 1, the respite may be short-lived. Prominent meteorologist Orhan Şen has warned that Turkey will not see the rainfall it desperately needs in the near term. This prediction is supported by the ongoing drought, which has been identified as the third-largest city in Turkey, Istanbul, and the western province of İzmir, experiencing controlled water cuts due to plummeting reservoir levels.
Moreover, agricultural drought is now imminent in Turkey, posing a significant threat to the country's food security. As of September 1, a forest fire in the western province of Denizli continued into its fourth day, forcing the precautionary evacuation of two neighborhoods.
While the temperatures in Istanbul will decrease by 1-2 degrees starting from September 1, they will still hover around 32 degrees Celsius, offering little relief from the heat. The meteorologist who made the statement about decreasing temperatures and continued dryness in Türkiye is not explicitly named in the search results. However, related climate and water stress comments on Türkiye's drought situation are provided by Fred Hattermann from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), although his specific statement relates to Germany, not Türkiye.
This ongoing crisis underscores the urgent need for action to address climate change and its impacts on Turkey and the wider region.
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