Heatwave to persist across Greece – Temperatures to peak at 42°C

Greece has been in the grip of a heatwave in recent days, with high temperatures locally expected to exceed 40°C.

“Essentially, this is the first heatwave of this summer that will have a long duration,” Kostas Lagouvardos, Research Director at the National Observatory of Athens and head of the METEO/NOA unit, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), adding that Thessaly, Western Greece and Central Macedonia are expected to record the highest temperatures.

According to the latest available data, the most difficult day will be today, Sunday (23/8), while heatwave conditions will prevail in many areas until the middle of the new week. Maximum temperatures are expected to reach 38-40°C, while locally they could climb to 41-42°C.

At the same time, according to METEO/NOA, the air masses over Greece will be 6 to 8 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year.

As Lagouvardos points out, this is not an extreme heatwave in terms of temperature intensity. However, the high temperatures are expected to persist for six to seven days, while the end of the heatwave will be reassessed on the basis of new forecast data at the beginning of the coming week.

“The weekend will be the hottest. On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures will fall in eastern and southern parts of the country, although this will not apply to the rest of Greece, with high temperatures continuing in Western Greece, Central Macedonia and Thessaly. The northerly meltemi winds will also strengthen from Monday, which will provide some relief in areas such as Attica, the Cyclades and northern Crete. Winds will reach up to 5 Beaufort, locally rising to 6 or 7 Beaufort in the south and southeast,” Lagouvardos told ANA-MPA, adding that the wildfire risk will also increase, as the high temperatures will contribute to the further drying of combustible vegetation.

“Therefore, fire-weather indices are worsening day by day, especially as winds are also expected to strengthen considerably from Monday onwards,” he noted, stressing that such temperatures are not usually recorded towards the end of August.

Areas expected to face the greatest heat stress

Heat stress will also be intense in areas where prolonged high temperatures prevail. As Christos Giannaros, Assistant Professor of Meteorology and Climatology at the Department of Physics of the University of Ioannina, told ANA-MPA, Sunday is expected to be the most difficult day, with high levels of heat stress in parts of Western Greece, Thessaly and Central Macedonia.

“On Sunday, it appears that almost the entire country, with the exception of very mountainous areas, will experience high temperatures and therefore a high level of heat stress. The usual suspects include Thessaly, where temperatures could reach as high as 40°C, while Central Macedonia and Western Greece may also be affected in this particular case,” he said, adding that Attica, where temperatures are expected to range between 38°C and 39°C, will also experience increased heat stress.

Lagouvardos also noted that during the night, temperatures in parts of the Attica basin will remain as high as 30°C, intensifying the feeling of discomfort.

According to an analysis by meteorologist Thodoris Kolydas, however, the heat will persist, but the latest data have “softened” the hot-weather scenario through the end of the month.

“The most likely scenario is an extended period of fairly high temperatures, peaking around August 23-26, followed by a gradual decline,” he said.

According to the meteorologist, the data point to a maximum 10-day temperature of 37.2°C. In other words, as he explains, “even during the hottest part of the episode, the ensemble forecast for Athens does not currently support extreme temperatures of 40°C or above. This strengthens the description of the event as ‘prolonged heat’ rather than a ‘severe heatwave’.”

“The heat is here to stay for some time, but the outlook towards the end of August now points more towards a gradual decline than any further escalation,” he stressed.

Weather forecast for the coming days
Weather on Sunday (23/08)

Temperatures will remain above normal levels for the season, reaching 38-39°C on the mainland and locally 40°C, and 35-37°C across the islands.

Generally clear weather is forecast, with temporary cloud cover over the mainland during the midday and afternoon hours, when local rain or showers will develop over mountainous areas.

Visibility will be locally limited in western areas during the morning.

Winds will blow from the north-northwest at 3 to 5 Beaufort, locally reaching 6 Beaufort in coastal and maritime areas.

Temperatures will show no significant change, reaching 38-39°C on the mainland and locally 40°C, and 35-37°C across the islands.

MACEDONIA, THRACE

Weather: Generally clear, with temporary cloud cover during the midday and afternoon hours. Local rain or showers will develop over mountainous areas, with isolated thunderstorms possible in the mountains of Macedonia.

Winds: Variable at 3 to 4 Beaufort, becoming east-northeasterly in eastern areas from the evening at up to 5 Beaufort.

Temperature: From 21°C to 38-39°C, locally reaching 40°C in Central Macedonia. Minimum temperatures in Western Macedonia will be 2 to 3 degrees lower.

IONIAN ISLANDS, EPIRUS, WESTERN CENTRAL GREECE, WESTERN PELOPONNESE

Weather: Generally clear, with temporary cloud cover during the midday and afternoon hours, when local rain or showers will develop over mountainous areas.

Winds: North-northwesterly at 4 to 5 Beaufort, locally reaching 6 Beaufort in the northern Ionian Sea.

Temperature: From 23°C to 35°C, locally reaching 36-38°C on the mainland. Minimum temperatures in the interior of Epirus will be 2 to 4 degrees lower.

THESSALY, EASTERN CENTRAL GREECE, EVIA, EASTERN PELOPONNESE

Weather: Generally clear, with temporary cloud cover during the midday and afternoon hours. Local rain or showers will develop mainly over the mountainous areas of Thessaly.

Winds: From northerly directions at 4 to 5 Beaufort, locally reaching up to 6 Beaufort in eastern areas from the evening.

Temperature: From 23°C to 38-39°C, locally reaching 40°C.

CYCLADES, CRETE

Weather: Generally clear.

Winds: North-northwesterly at 4 to 5 Beaufort, locally reaching 6 Beaufort after midday.

Temperature: From 25°C to 34°C, reaching 36-37°C in Crete.

EASTERN AEGEAN ISLANDS – DODECANESE

Weather: Clear.

Winds: North-northwesterly at 4 to 5 Beaufort, locally reaching 6 Beaufort from midday.

Temperature: From 25°C to 36°C, locally reaching 37°C.

ATTICA

Weather: Generally clear, with a few temporary clouds during the midday and afternoon hours.

Winds: Variable at 3 to 4 Beaufort, while in eastern areas they will blow from the north-northeast at 4 to 5 Beaufort and locally reach up to 6 Beaufort from the evening.

Temperature: From 24°C to 37-38°C. Maximum temperatures in coastal areas will be 2 to 3 degrees lower.

THESSALONIKI

Weather: Generally clear, with temporary cloud cover around midday and in the afternoon, when local rain or brief showers may develop over the surrounding mountains.

Winds: Variable at 2 to 4 Beaufort, becoming southerly during the midday and afternoon hours at the same strength.

Temperature: From 23°C to 37°C.

Weather on Monday (24/08)

Generally clear weather is forecast, with temporary cloud cover over mainland areas, mainly in the mountains, during the midday and afternoon hours. Local rain or showers will develop, with isolated thunderstorms mainly over northern mountainous areas.

Visibility will be locally limited in western areas during the morning.

Winds in western areas will blow from the north-northwest at 3 to 5 Beaufort, locally reaching up to 6 Beaufort in the northern Ionian Sea. In eastern areas, winds will blow from northerly directions at 4 to 6 Beaufort, locally reaching 7 Beaufort in the Aegean.

Maximum temperatures will fall slightly in northern and central areas, while no significant change is expected elsewhere. Temperatures will reach 35-37°C in the north, 37-39°C across the rest of the mainland and 35-37°C on the islands.

Weather on Tuesday (25/08)

Generally clear weather is forecast, with temporary cloud cover over mountainous mainland areas during the midday and afternoon hours. Local rain or showers will develop, with isolated thunderstorms possible mainly in northern areas.

Winds will blow from northerly directions at 3 to 5 Beaufort in the west, 4 to 6 Beaufort in the east and locally 7 Beaufort in the Aegean.

Temperatures will show no significant change.

Weather on Wednesday (26/08)

Generally clear weather is forecast, with a few temporary clouds over mainland areas during the midday and afternoon hours. Local rain or showers will develop over mountainous areas, mainly in northern Greece, where isolated thunderstorms are also possible.

Winds in the west will initially be variable at 3 to 4 Beaufort, gradually becoming northerly at 4 to 5 Beaufort. In eastern areas, northerly winds will blow at 4 to 6 Beaufort, possibly reaching 7 Beaufort locally in the Aegean.

Temperatures will show no significant change.