Turkish Airlines suspends nearly 240 flights after snowfall alert in Istanbul

Earlier in the day, the airline warned about possible flight cancellations due to severe weather conditions.

"A total of 238 flights departing from and arriving at Istanbul Airport on Sunday and Monday have been canceled. Of these, 72 were domestic flights and 166 were international flights," Turkish Airlines said, adding that the number of cancellations is likely to grow.

The passengers are requested to go to the airline's website and flight information boards to get up-to-date information about their flights.

Turkish Airlines also operates flights to Istanbul's second airport, Sabiha Gokcen, under the Anadolu Jet brand.

Istanbul's governor Ali Yerlikaya warned residents that heavy snowfall and rain were forecast on Saturday and Sunday in the city, with temperatures dropping to 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).

The "Siberian" cold wave, as it was dubbed by Turkish media, will be accompanied by winds of 60 to 80 kilometers per hour (37-50 miles per hour).

In January, Turkish media reported that the water level in dams and ponds in Istanbul drastically dropped due to insufficient rainfall, with a risk of a drought and water supply restrictions looming large. As of early February, water reservoirs that provide the city with water are less than 30% full.

December 2022 and January 2023 in Turkey were the hottest in 52 years of observations.