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Culture · Glossary

Pastırma Sıcakları: Turkey's Autumn Warm Spell Explained

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бастурма, Basturma or Pastroma from Armenia, luftgetrockneter Schinken im Paprikamantel, Paprika leicht scharf, mit etwas Knoblauch im Paprika
Image credit: RosarioVanTulpe · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

In brief

Pastırma sıcakları is the Turkish name for a short spell of unseasonably warm, dry and sunny weather that interrupts the cooling trend of autumn — Turkey's equivalent of an "Indian summer." It typically appears between late October and mid-November and lasts from a few days to about a week, and it is named after the ideal meat-curing conditions it creates.

What does the term mean?

Pastırma sıcakları literally translates as "pastırma heats." It describes a temporary rise in daytime temperatures during autumn, after the first cold snap has already set in, when skies turn clear and sunny again for several days before cooler weather returns for good. Turkish outlets describe it as a recurring seasonal pattern rather than a single fixed calendar date, according to Hürriyet and Sözcü.

Hürriyet's coverage places the phenomenon alongside similar terms used elsewhere: "Indian summer" in North America, "Altweibersommer" (old women's summer) in Germany, and "Brittsommar" (Saint Birgitta's summer) in Sweden.

When does it start, and how long does it last?

Sözcü and Evrensel report that pastırma sıcakları is generally observed between the last days of October and the first half of November, with 15 November cited as a rough outer limit in most years. Hürriyet gives the same late-October-to-mid-November window and notes that in some years early warm spells have also appeared around 9–13 October.

The exact start date is not fixed; it depends on that year's atmospheric pressure pattern, so Turkish forecasters confirm the period only once a warm, high-pressure spell actually develops. Sözcü puts the typical duration at three to seven days, while Hürriyet describes it more generally as lasting from a few days to about a week.

What causes it, and why the name "pastırma"?

Sözcü attributes the warmth to high-pressure systems that bring clear skies and little wind, letting daytime temperatures climb well above the seasonal average while nights still cool down sharply, sometimes to frost, because of the clear sky.

This daily swing between warm, dry afternoons and cold nights is exactly the condition traditionally used to cure pastırma, a spiced, air-dried beef. Hürriyet's report explains that the heat of the day helps the spice paste (çemen) penetrate the meat as its pores open, while the cold of the night helps it set and dry; this seasonal weather was historically used by producers to prepare the meat, which is how the warm spell got its name.

Similar autumn warm spells around the world

Names for the same seasonal weather pattern
Country/RegionLocal nameSource
TurkeyPastırma sıcakları ("pastırma heat")Sözcü, Hürriyet
United States/CanadaIndian summerHürriyet
GermanyAltweibersommer ("old women's summer")Hürriyet
SwedenBrittsommar ("Saint Birgitta's summer")Hürriyet

Cultural significance

Beyond weather forecasting, the term is tied to a food tradition: pastırma production historically relied on this short autumn window of warm days and cold nights to dry and mature the meat under open air, Hürriyet reports. The phrase is now used broadly in Turkish daily life and media each autumn to describe any unexpected mild, sunny stretch before winter sets in, independent of whether anyone is actually curing meat.

Health and lifestyle coverage, including Sözcü, notes the sharp difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures during this period and advises layered clothing, since the swing from mild afternoons to near-freezing nights is described as a strain particularly for people with weaker immune systems.

Questions

What does pastırma sıcakları mean?
It is a Turkish term for a short period of unseasonably warm, dry, sunny weather during autumn, comparable to an "Indian summer," named because it traditionally offered ideal drying conditions for curing pastırma.
When does pastırma sıcakları usually occur?
According to Sözcü, Evrensel and Hürriyet, it typically falls between the last days of October and the first half of November, up to around 15 November, though the exact dates shift each year with the weather.
How many days does it last?
Sözcü puts the typical duration at three to seven days; Hürriyet describes it more generally as lasting from a few days to about a week, and both note that it varies by region.
Why is it called 'pastırma' heat specifically?
Hürriyet explains that the combination of warm, dry days and cold nights in this period is the same condition traditionally used to season and dry pastırma, a spiced air-dried beef, which is how the name originated.
Is pastırma sıcakları a fixed date like a holiday?
No. Turkish meteorology coverage describes it as a weather pattern tied to high-pressure systems, so forecasters only confirm the period once the warm spell actually develops each year, per Sözcü.

How the world is telling it

Sources

  1. Sözcü — Pastırma sıcakları ne zaman başlıyor, hangi ay oluyor ve kaç gün sürer?
  2. Evrensel — Pastırma sıcakları 2026 ne zaman başlayacak?
  3. Hürriyet — Pastırma sıcakları ne demek, ne zaman, Ekim'de mi Kasım'da mı başlar?
  4. RestProperty — Autumn in Turkey: The Indian Summer Has Begun

This piece was prepared with artificial intelligence and passed an automated source check before publication. If you see an error, ask for a correction. Request a correction or reply · How we make this

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