The most affected are the Avusor and Kavron plateaus in the Çamlıkhemşin municipality, where shepherds still live. Residents say that although such phenomena are not unknown in the region, such early snowfall always causes surprise.The website TurkishTourismNews published footage of the snow-covered slopes, describing them as "winter landscapes in the middle of autumn". Locals say that while the snow has not caused any major problems, it has affected livestock grazing and hastened preparations for their return to lower pastures.The contrast in the country is palpable, with southern Turkey battling heatwaves and forest fires, while northeastern Rize is demonstrating how diverse and unpredictable Turkey's climate is.Meteorologists note that the high terrain and proximity to the Black Sea predispose to sudden changes in weather. They warn that such extreme events may become more frequent due to global climate change.Historically early snowfalls have been recorded before - in 2015 in early October and in 2020 as early as late September. Locals say that such "early winters" occur once every ten years or so and are a clear sign that the herd-harvesting season is coming earlier than expected.