Turkey - Climate

Turkey's southern coast enjoys a Mediterranean climate, and the Aegean coastal climate as far north as Izmir is much the same. The mean temperature range in these regions is 17–20° C (63– 68° F ), and the annual rainfall ranges from 58 to 130 cm (23 to 51 in). The Black Sea coast is relatively mild (14 to 16° C /57 to 60° F ) and very moist, with 71 to 249 cm (28 to 87 in) of rainfall. The central Anatolian plateau is noted for its hot, dry summers and cold winters: the average annual temperature is 8–12° C (46– 54° F ), and annual precipitation is 30–75 cm (12–30 in). With the exception of some warmer pockets in the valleys, the eastern third of Turkey is colder (4–9° C /39–48° F ), and rainfall averages 41–51 cm (16–20 in). The little precipitation there is on the central plateau tends to be concentrated during the late fall and winter months.