By S.Ahmet Aytac
ANKARA (AA) - Heavy snowfall and frigid cold across Turkey Wednesday led to the closure of schools and roads.
Authorities over half of Turkey's 81 provinces, mostly in central, eastern, and some parts of northern Turkey, announced a school snow day.
Due to frost and icing, many village roads and some streets and avenues were closed. Snow removal crews were working hard to reopen roads to traffic.
Cities affected by heavy snowfall and school shutdowns include Sivas, Nigde, Kirsehir, Konya, Isparta, Corum, Cankiri, Kirikkkale, Aksaray, Nevsehir, Karaman, Kayseri, Amasya, Yozgat, and Tokat in central Turkey; Kocaeli, Sakarya, Canakkale, Bolu, Duzce, Zonguldak, Samsun, Kastamonu, Ordu, Giresun, Bayburt and Gumushane in northern Anatolia and the Black Sea region; and Mus, Erzurum, Erzincan, Elazig, Bitlis, Bingol, Kars, Ardahan, Hakkari, Malatya, Van, Tunceli, Adıyaman and Agri in eastern Turkey.
Remnants of recent snows also affected the capital Ankara, with workers, drivers and students navigating icy roads and sidewalks in the bitter cold mornings.