A much-anticipated snowfall gripped Istanbul Thursday, blanketing the European and Asian sides of the metropolis. It is expected to continue until Monday with temperatures fluctuating below zero degrees Celsius (below 32 degrees Fahrenheit) at.
It is winter at its worst for Turkey this week as snowfall and blizzards set in, spelling trouble for the population in most of the country's 81 provinces. Traffic disruption and difficulty in accessing remote locations are among the major woes.