İstanbul braces for heavy snowfall throughout weekend

Photo: AA

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Sharing the forecast of the State Meteorological Service (MGM) on Twitter, İstanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya has warned against heavy snowfall between 6 p.m. and midnight.

Yerlikaya warned the residents of the city not to go out unless it is necessary and prefer public transport.

Motorcycles and electric scooters are banned from traffic as of 5.30 p.m. The ban includes motorcycle couriers as well.

İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu also warned the people on Twitter. "Starting from 17.20, we will have an intense snowfall. I warn our citizens not to travel with their private vehicles as of 17.00. We have started additional services in all [public] transportation lines," he wrote.

The MGM forecasts heavy snowfall in the city throughout the weekend.

Snowfall started in some areas of İstanbul last night and continued today intermittently. The snowfall is particularly intense in the districts of Şişli, Büyükçekmece, Şişli, Esenyurt, Bakırköy, Zeytinburnu and Arnavutköy on the city's European side.

On the Asian side, intermittent snowfall is observed in Üsküdar, Kadıköy, Ümraniye, Beykoz, Maltepe, Sancaktepe, Kartal and Ümraniye.

The İstanbul Airport warned passengers to check whether their flights on the weekend were canceled. The Sabiha Gökçen Airport said the flights would be reduced on Saturday. (AÖ/VK)