A ten-day period of drought is expected across the country, with temperatures rising starting today due to a rare weather phenomenon.

According to a post by the director of the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY), Theodoros Kolydas, this involves a polar jet stream, which will pass over Greece and cause even the low-pressure system along the African coast to retreat, an extremely rare occurrence.

By midweek, a strong anticyclone (a high-pressure system) will develop over Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Greece, preventing rainfall.

🎯ΔΙΑΤΗΡΕΙΤΑΙ Η ΑΝΟΜΒΡΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΕΡΧΟΜΕΝΗ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΑ
✅Η παρουσία του πολικού JetStream σε πολύ μεγάλα γεωγραφικά πλάτη με Δ-ΝΔ ρεύμα και η απουσία ισχυρών ανέμων στις μέσες και τις ανώτερες στάθμες της ατμόσφαιρας στην περιοχή μας , "αναγκάζει" ακόμη και το χαμηλό που υπάρχει… pic.twitter.com/H0L1aezybO

— Theodoros Kolydas (@KolydasT) October 20, 2024

Kolydas stated:

“The presence of the polar jet stream at very high latitudes with a W-SW flow and the absence of strong winds in the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere in our region will force the low-pressure system near the African coast to retreat instead of moving west to east, which is rare.

✅ By midweek, a strong anticyclone (high-pressure system) will develop over Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Greece, preventing rainfall. However, northerly winds will persist, and temperatures will return to normal levels for the season.

✅ This autumn’s synoptic situation shares many characteristics with that of 1993, when drought lasted until the first ten days of November before conditions changed.”

Kolydas also explained how atmospheric circulation needs to change to bring significant rainfall.

In another post, he elaborated:

🎯ΠΩΣ ΠΡΕΠΕΙ ΝΑ ΑΛΛΑΞΕΙ Η ΚΥΚΛΟΦΟΡΙΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΤΜΟΣΦΑΙΡΑ, ΓΙΑ ΝΑ ΕΡΘΟΥΝ ΠΟΛΛΕΣ ΒΡΟΧΕΣ
✅Έχουμε αναφέρει πολλές φορές ότι ο οδηγός των μεγάλων συστημάτων στην ατμόσφαιρα είναι το Jet Stream , το οποίο είναι ένα μεγάλο ποτάμι αέρα με υψηλές ταχύτητες, που κατευθύνει την κίνηση των… pic.twitter.com/16M2lu94qi

— Theodoros Kolydas (@KolydasT) October 20, 2024

✅ “We’ve often mentioned that the driver of large atmospheric systems is the jet stream, a fast-flowing air current that guides the movement of air masses.

✅ Simply put, when the jet stream flows from north to south (see video), cold air masses will head toward the central Mediterranean, creating favorable conditions for cyclogenesis. This means that low-pressure systems carrying precipitation will develop and move from west to east, potentially affecting the entire country with rainfall.”

It’s worth noting that the American weather model, GFS, predicted cold air masses descending in early November, potentially leading to severe weather with a low-pressure system in the Aegean, bringing significant precipitation. However, this is a variable scenario, as weather conditions could change significantly by then.

For now, the forecast up until the October 28th weekend is more reliable, and according to Kolydas, the weather will be mild, with seasonally appropriate temperatures.

The Forecast for October 28th

Meteorologist Giorgos Tsatrafilias also forecasts normal temperatures for the October 28th holiday weekend in a recent post.

Specifically, he said:

“No extreme cold, no 30°C heat for the parade! The upcoming week will see plenty of sunshine, with temperatures gradually rising to 24–25°C, especially in western Greece and the Peloponnese. Additionally, northerly winds in the Aegean will persist at 7–8 Beaufort. The outlook for rain remains disappointing for now. The atmosphere will be very clear, with excellent visibility and low humidity. Perfect for outdoor activities, sports, and walks in the countryside. Have a great week!”

Today’s Weather

Today, expect partly cloudy skies, with more clouds at times in the western, central, and southern parts of the country. During the night and early morning, visibility will be limited in central and northern mainland areas, with fog forming locally.

Temperatures will range from 1°C to 19°C in Western Macedonia, 2°C to 18-20°C in the rest of northern Greece, 5°C to 20-21°C in Thessaly, 8°C to 26°C in Epirus, 12°C to 25-27°C in the western and southern mainland, 7°C to 22-23°C in eastern mainland areas, 14°C to 25-26°C in the Ionian Islands, and 13°C to 21-22°C in the Aegean and Crete. Maximum temperatures in the Dodecanese and southern Crete may reach 25-26°C locally.

In the Aegean, northerly to northeasterly winds will blow at speeds up to 6 Beaufort, and occasionally 7 Beaufort in the southern seas. Southeastern winds at 3-5 Beaufort will prevail in the Ionian.