Eyyam-ı bahur heatwaves are coming: Turkey will scorch on these dates

Prof. Dr. Şermin Tağıl, Head of the Geography Department at İzmir Bakırçay University, stated that eyyam-ı bahur heatwaves will be effective at the beginning of August, saying, "This year, there is a high probability that this period will be hot but also partially rainy due to the influence of a low-pressure system in the Eastern Mediterranean."

Tağıl, an expert in Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing, said that Turkey is located in one of the regions of the world that is warming the fastest and experiencing the climate crisis most severely.

Reminding that according to data from the Turkish State Meteorological Service, temperature records have been broken in many regions of Turkey, especially in the Aegean Region, for the last 13 months, Tağıl noted that the temperature increases, which have been particularly noticeable since June of last year, have recently risen to 10 degrees above seasonal norms in some regions.

DROUGHT HAS REACHED ITS MOST SEVERE LEVEL ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Recalling that according to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the global average surface temperature hit a record high of 17.15 degrees on July 22, Tağıl said, "The previous record was recorded on August 12, 2016, at 16.8 degrees. Regions in Turkey that have not received sufficient rainfall are sounding a drought alarm due to high temperatures. Drought has reached its most severe level across the country."

Şermin Tağıl stated that the eyyam-ı bahur, which describes the hottest and most stifling days of the summer season, will occur between July 31 and August 7, and added the following:

"Our country, which has partially relaxed at the end of July, will remain under the influence of a heatwave during the eyyam-ı bahur period in the first week of August. This year, there is a high probability that this period will be hot but also partially rainy due to the influence of a low-pressure system in the Eastern Mediterranean. These scorching temperatures and strong winds make forest fires inevitable. On the other hand, severe downpours have been effective as predicted at the beginning of this summer and continue to be so. One of the most important reasons for these extremes in weather conditions in Turkey is that temperatures have been above seasonal norms for the last 13 months and the atmosphere's capacity to hold moisture has increased accordingly. The warming earth facilitates thermal convection, causing rain clouds to form and precipitation to fall. The encounter between the cooler air mass entering our country from the northwest and north and the hot air mass causes the humid air to cool and leads to rain, hail, or downpours."

Emphasizing that this situation is occurring similarly not only for Turkey but for the entire Mediterranean Basin, Tağıl added that reducing the effects of the climate crisis and developing adaptation strategies are more important than ever.

News Source: AA