The heatwave expected to hit Greece from Monday, July 21 to Saturday, July 26 will not bring, according to meteorologist Giannis Kallianos, temperatures of an “unprecedented” nature, but it will bring something equally dangerous: duration. For six consecutive days, Greece will experience a prolonged and intense heat event, with temperatures climbing far above the seasonal averages almost across the entire territory.

According to the analysis of forecast data, the peak temperature will not be the same everywhere, but the map of maximum thermal intensity is revealing: Thessaly, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, and Central Macedonia will see temperatures exceeding 44°C.

In Larissa, Karditsa, and Trikala, the highest values are expected, reaching 44 to 45°C. The mercury will also climb to 43-44°C in Lamia, Sparta, Thebes, Elefsina, and Livadeia, while in Athens it is expected to peak at 42-43°C. Similar temperatures are forecast for the interior of Rhodes and the Messara plain in Crete.

It is worth noting that even in areas that usually have a milder microclimate, such as Kozani, Ioannina, Chania, and Chios, temperatures will reach or exceed 40°C, a fact that reinforces the characterization of the heatwave as “nationwide.”

Based on the latest forecast data, Giannis Kallianos has determined the maximum temperature expected to be recorded in each region of the country during this six-day period. “I will not refer to the specific day on which this peak will occur; what I will present is the maximum temperature expected to be observed in each geographical area during the heatwave,” he states.

The situation at night will be extremely difficult, as even at midnight in Athens, temperatures will remain between 34°C – 35°C due to thermal stress.

In four regions of the country, we will see extreme temperatures.

Specifically, on Tuesday and Wednesday, which are the peak days of the heatwave, we may see 45°C in the Thessalian plain – that is, in Larissa, Trikala, and Karditsa, 44°C in the region of Phthiotis (e.g., in Lamia), 45°C in Boeotia around Kopaida, and 44°C in the Argolis plain (in Argos).

According to ERT meteorologist Anastasia Tyraski, on Sunday the temperature will reach 38°C, mainly in the eastern mainland areas – Thessaly, eastern Central Greece, and eastern Peloponnese.

On Monday, we will see an even greater rise in temperature, reaching 40°C, with the hottest areas again being the central and southern mainland – Thessaly, Central Greece, and Peloponnese.

From Tuesday to Friday, the worst will come, as we expect temperatures to reach 42-43°C. The highest values will generally be recorded in the central and southern parts – Thessaly, Central Greece, and Peloponnese – although the rest of the country will also be affected.

Attica will be at the epicenter, while the islands will also experience high temperatures, reaching 40°C on the larger islands.

As Anastasia Tyraski notes, as the days go by, heat will accumulate, and minimum temperatures will rise. This means that in urban centers, the mercury will not drop below 28-29°C, even at night.

The end of this heatwave is expected during the next weekend, July 26-27.