Annual temperature over the period 1961–1990 showed a trend of statistically significant warming over land in south-east Europe of approximately 0.4–0.6°C per decade (14). For Turkey, annual mean temperature seems to have increased only after the first half of 1990s (16): statistical analyses of Turkish temperature series over the period 1950–2006 showed a turning point at the year of 1992 (1993). Following this year, annual temperatures began to increase gradually (16).  

The most prominent feature that one can observe is the widespread increase in summer temperatures. Summer temperatures increase mostly in the western and southwestern parts of Turkey. Urban heat island studies (4) indicate that temperature rise as a result of urbanisation is most notable in summer in Mediterranean cities when the region comes under the influence of high pressure systems. Thus, widespread increase in temperature in western stations in Turkey may be mainly related to this phenomenon (2).

The trend for Turkey is relatively large over summer at 0.34°C per decade (5). For southeastern Europe during 1961-1990 strongest warming was found for maximum spring temperature reaching up to 0.9°C per decade (14)

Projected temperature increases over Turkey for 2100 compared with 1960-1990, based on a large number of climate models and the A1B emission scenario, are around 2.5-3°C in the north, 3-3.5°C over central and south-western regions, and 3.5-4.0°C in the east (5). For the A2 emission scenario a temperature increase of 2–5°C for 2100 compared with 1960-1990 has been projected (10).