Snow in Turkey
Antalya, one of the rare year-round sunny spots in Turkey, was taken over by snowfall yesterday and Wednesday, the first such precipitation since 1993.

The snowfall in the Turkish Riviera, a popular vacation spot, blocked roads and led to the closure of schools in four districts.

Tourists and locals were surprised by the sudden snowfall that has already paralyzed daily life in other parts of the country. Temperatures dropped as low as 3 degrees Celsius (37 degrees Fahrenheit), although the area was still hotter compared to the minus 20 degrees Celsius temperatures in eastern Turkey.

The snowfall particularly affected the higher areas in the city, Kepezüstü district in particular, which is located some 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from central Antalya. Traffic on the road connecting central Antalya to the Korkuteli district also came to a halt due to heavy snowfall, which blanketed the natural and man-made beauties the city boasts, from the ancient city of Thermessos to the forests north of the city, which are situated along the Mediterranean coast.

In the Alanya district, popular among suntanning tourists, some 80 students were stranded at a primary school when it was engulfed by thick snow. Amid the snowstorm, workers rescued the students on Wednesday evening.

Despite the cold weather, most Antalya residents took the opportunity to take selfies on snow-covered streets while some children, who had never seen snowfall, struggled to build snowmen.

Authorities deployed snow-clearing crews on the roads in the higher elevations, while truck drivers were instructed not to travel. Roads to several villages in the Akseki district were closed due to heavy snow.

The snow's depth reached 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) in the Tahtalı mountain, one of the highest places in Antalya.

The weather forecast for today shows that snowfall will be replaced with rain, but the temperatures will fluctuate between 4 to 12 degrees Celsius. Partly cloudy weather will make a comeback in Antalya over the weekend, while temperatures will remain under 15 degrees Celsius until Tuesday.