With temperatures reaching 39 degrees Celsius, the weekend, with the risk of wildfires increasing in several areas. Any showers that do occur will be isolated and limited to mountainous areas. However, from next week the temperature will show a drop, while volatility will be significant mainly in the afternoon and midday on the mainland, according to EMF director Thodoris Kolydas.

As he stresses in a post, the cold air masses that will change the weather scene “are coming from the northeast and specifically Ukraine, where they will be over our region via the Black Sea, a circulation that is not so common during this period.”

“If the systems and cold masses were coming from the Central Mediterranean, they could cause higher rainfall heights,” he added.

Very high fire danger in 5 regions

Very high fire danger is forecast for today in Attica, Central Greece, Peloponnese, North Aegean and Crete.

According to the Fire Risk Prediction Map issued by the General Secretariat of Civil Protection of the Ministry of Climate Crisis & Civil Protection (civilprotection.gov.gr), for Saturday, August 24, 2024, the following is predicted:

Very high fire risk (risk category 4) for the following areas:

Region of Attica (including the island of Kythera)
Region of Central Greece (Boeotia, Evia)
Region of Peloponnese (Corinthia, Argolida, Laconia)
Region of North Aegean (Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria)
Region of Crete

Significant rise in temperature yesterday – Near 40 °C maximum

The maximum temperature in the country approached 40 °C on Friday, August 23, 2024. More specifically, the maximum temperature was recorded in Skala Messinia and was equal to 39.6°C. The map in the image below shows the distribution of the maximum temperature according to the network of automatic meteorological stations of meteo.gr / National Observatory of Athens and the 8 stations that recorded the highest temperatures.

As shown in the additional information provided in the image, the maximum temperature exceeded 35 °C at 220 of the 509 currently active stations (~43%) and 37 °C at 82 stations (~16%).

Today’s weather

Sunshine is expected but local clouds will develop at noon and in the afternoon, mainly in the mountainous mainland, where local rain and occasional thunderstorms will occur.

The temperature in Western Macedonia will range from 18 to 33 degrees Celsius, in the rest of Macedonia and Thrace from 22 to 37, in Thessaly from 23 to 38, in Epirus and Western Central Greece from 20 to 37, in the rest of Central Greece from 22 to 37, in the Peloponnese from 21 to 39, in the Ionian islands from 22 to 36, in the North and East Aegean islands from 22 to 37 and in the Cyclades from 24 to 34, in the Dodecanese from 23 to 35 and in Crete from 21 to 35 degrees Celsius.

The winds in the Aegean Sea will blow from northern directions from 3 to 5 Beaufort. In the Ionian Sea the winds will blow from the northeast from 3 to 5 Beaufort.

SUNDAY 25-08-2024

Generally clear weather with scattered clouds in the north. In the midday and afternoon hours in the central, western and southern continents, clouds will develop and local rain or rain will occur mainly in the mountains.
Winds will blow from the north from 3 to 4, in the Ionian Sea locally 5 and in the Aegean Sea 4 to 6 and locally 7 Beaufort with a slight weakening from the afternoon.
The temperature will drop slightly. It will reach 35 to 36 degrees Celsius on the mainland, 33 to 34 degrees Celsius in the Ionian Sea, 31 to 32 degrees Celsius in the rest of the island country and locally 33 degrees Celsius in southern Crete and the Dodecanese.

MONDAY 26-08-2024
Generally clear weather. In the midday and afternoon hours in the mainland and in the Ionian Sea, there will be some clouds and local rain mainly in the mountains and occasional thunderstorms in the western and central mainland.
Winds will blow in the west variable 3 to 4 Beaufort, in the east from the north 3 to 5 and in the Aegean 4 to 6 Beaufort with gradual weakening from the evening.
The temperature will drop slightly further. It will reach 33 to 34 degrees Celsius in the northern mainland and the rest of the mainland, 31 to 32 degrees Celsius in the Ionian Sea, 29 to 30 degrees Celsius in the rest of the islands and locally 32 degrees Celsius in the Dodecanese and southern Crete.

TUESDAY 27-08-2024
Generally clear weather but with increasing clouds in Thrace, central and eastern Macedonia and the northern Aegean so in the morning hours in the northern parts of Thrace, Halkidiki and eastern Thessaly there will be a few local showers. In the midday and afternoon hours clouds will develop in the rest of the continent, the Ionian Sea and Crete, where local rain and mainly in the mountains isolated thunderstorms will occur.
The winds will be variable in the west, 3 to 4 Beaufort. In the east will blow from the north 3 to 5 and in the Aegean Sea locally 6 Beaufort with weakening from noon.
The temperature will drop slightly mainly in the south.

WEDNESDAY 28-08-2024
Initially clear weather with thin clouds from the morning hours in the Ionian Sea which will gradually increase and there will be some local rain. From the midday hours clouds will develop in the mainland and in the mainland as well, so there will be local rain or rain and occasional thunderstorms mainly in the mountains with improvement from late afternoon.
Winds will be variable in the west at 3 Beaufort, becoming northwest from midday with the same intensity. In the east will blow from northern directions 3 to 4 and in the Aegean Sea locally 5 Beaufort.
The temperature will not change significantly.