Long before meteorologists had sophisticated technology to help them predict the weather, people made forecasts based on their observations of the sky, animals, and nature.

For the farmer wanting to plant crops and the merchant about to send ships on trade, the knowledge of tomorrow’s weather could have meant the difference between success and failure.

Most cultures have developed informal folklore related to the prediction of the weather. Greeks also have a traditional method of predicting the weather, not only for the immediate future but for the entire year ahead!

This method dates back to the ancient times and it involves the observation and the interpretation of weather phenomena during the first twelve days of August, which are called “Merominia” – a name which derives from the Greek words Mera (Day) and Minas (Month). Each one of these twelve days corresponds to a full cycle of the moon or one of the following twelve months.

Although this method is challenged by modern meteorology, according to which long-term forecasts are impossible, it still has numerous supporters among farmers, breeders and generally people who live and work in the countryside.

Find out what will the weather be like in the next twelve months, based on this August’s predictions!

September 2014

In the first days of September weather will be rainy, especially in the western part of Greece. From 13 to 19 we will have heavy rainfall and temperatures will drop. Weather will start to improve from the 20th onwards. However, it will remain chilly until the end of the month.

October 2014

Weather will be mild in the beginning of October. Rainfall is expected from 13 to 15 mainly in the east and temperatures will drop slightly. Weather will deteriorate around the 17th of the month, especially in the southern and western parts. After the 20th weather conditions will improve but temperatures will still be low.

November 2014

In the beginning of November weather will be fair and sunny, with temperatures slightly above normal levels for the season. From the 14th onwards, however, temperatures are expected to drop and there will be some rainfall. Around the 18th expect showers and storms coming from the south, southern winds and a small rise in temperature. Around the 25th weather will deteriorate but temperatures will still be high for the season.

December 2014

Until the 10th of December expect fair weather, but it will still be chilly. Weather will deteriorate around the 15th. We will have storms, especially in west Greece and snowfall in the mountains of Attica. Weather will improve slightly after the 20th of the month.

January 2015

In the beginning of January weather will be rainy. Conditions will improve for a few days but then, around the 16th of the month, weather will deteriorate. There will be a large drop in temperature and we will even have some snowfalls. Temperatures will continue to be very low all through the month.

February 2015

Weather will be changeable in the first days of February, with plenty of cold and snowfall in the mountains and the plains of Attica. At around the 13th of the month, weather will start to improve. However, the weather will continue to be rainy until the 20th. From then onwards and for the rest of the month we expect a gradual rise in temperature and visible improvement in the weather.

March 2015

Weather will be rainy in the beginning of March. Severe weather phenomena and thunderstorms will affect particularly the western and northern regions of Attica around mid-March. After the 20th the weather will start to improve.

April 2015

In the first days of April weather will be mostly fair with some clouds. However, conditions will deteriorate after the 15th and there will be some storms, affecting mainly the western and northern parts of the country. Temperature will rise slightly on the 24th and weather will be sunny and warm until the end of the month.

May 2015

Weather will be mostly fair in the beginning of May. There will be some showers around the 15th, mainly in the north and west parts of the country. From 25 onwards, weather will be fair.

June 2015

Temperatures will soar in June, especially between the 16th and the 18th of the month. However, the winds in mid-June will make the heat more bearable in the eastern parts of Greece.

July 2015

A heat wave is expected around the 15th of July. Thunderstorms and showers in the mountains between 17 and 20. Temperatures will drop slightly around the end of the month.

Predictions source: www.merominia.blogspot