Snow reaches 30 cm in Kaçkar highlands as blizzard disrupts Van pass traffic

As temperatures fell, high-altitude areas across several provinces from the Eastern Black Sea to Eastern Anatolia were covered in snow. Snow depth reached 30 centimeters in places in the highlands of Çamlıhemşin, Rize, while snow and blizzards made driving difficult at Karabet Pass on the Van-Bahçesaray highway.

Cold and rainy weather affecting the first week of November brought snow to high-altitude areas in many provinces across northern and eastern Türkiye. Mountain peaks, highlands and ski resorts across a wide area stretching from Rize to Hakkari were covered in white, while traffic was disrupted at some passes.

Snow began falling in rural areas of Çamlıhemşin district in Rize as temperatures dropped. Snow depth reached 30 centimeters in places in the Avusor, Huser, Kavrun and Samistal highlands on the slopes of the Kaçkar Mountains, creating postcard-like scenes.

In neighboring Artvin, intermittent rain in some parts of the province gave way to snow at higher elevations. Many villages, hamlets and highlands, particularly Geçitli village in Ardanuç district at an altitude of 1,750 meters, Avcılar village in Yusufeli at 2,000 meters and Sahara Pass in Şavşat, were covered in white.

Vehicles traveling on a highway affected by snow and blizzards

Drivers warned to carry chains at Karabet Pass

In Van, rain that has continued intermittently for two days turned to snow at higher elevations, covering the peaks of Mount Artos and Mount Erek in white. Visibility fell in places due to snow and blizzards at Karabet Pass, at an altitude of 2,985 meters on the Van-Bahçesaray highway. Drivers struggled to make progress, while some heavy vehicles had to wait at the roadside.

Snow depth exceeded 10 centimeters at the pass, where crews from the 11th Regional Directorate of Highways are on standby to keep the road open. Gendarmerie teams also warned drivers passing through the area to carry snow chains in their vehicles.

Ski resorts covered in white

Snow also reached major winter tourism destinations. Nighttime temperatures fell to minus 2 degrees Celsius in Sarıkamış district of Kars, covering the summit of Sarıkamış Ski Resort, at an altitude of 2,634 meters, and the second-stage runs in snow. The runs at Merga Bütan Ski Resort in Hakkari, at an altitude of 2,800 meters, also turned white, while fog on the road to Durankaya town made driving difficult.

Aerial view of a village covered in white after snowfall

Kartalkaya and Sarıalan Highland at the 2,200-meter summit of the Köroğlu Mountains in Bolu, as well as Aladağ, Çele Hill and the area around Mount Arkut in Gerede, were partly covered in white. In Karabük, Keltepe Ski Resort, 23 kilometers from the city center, was covered by a thin layer of snow. Snow also affected Sarıçiçek Highland, at an altitude of 1,700 meters and 14 kilometers from Safranbolu.

Season's first snow falls in Tokat

The season's first snow fell in Başçiftlik district of Tokat after two days of rain. Başçiftlik Ski Resort, the area around Yeniyayla and Üçoluk Pond were covered in white, while intermittent snowfall continued at higher elevations.

Rain that began the previous evening in Ardahan turned to snow at higher elevations as temperatures fell. High-altitude areas between Ardahan and Artvin and the surrounding hills were covered in white, while wild horses searching for food were filmed in the snow-covered terrain.

Photos: Anadolu Agency

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Snow reaches 30 cm in Kaçkar highlands as blizzard disrupts Van pass traffic