The weather in Greece is expected to deteriorate rapidly in the coming hours, as the severe weather system dubbed “Carmel” will hit the country at the weekend, with heavy rains and storms, snowfall, and strong winds.

According to the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS), which issued a severe weather warning,  the front will bring heavy rainstorms and snowfall to the central and southern parts of the country, as well as gale-force winds.

It forecasts that the worst days will be Saturday and Sunday.

Heavy rains and thunderstorms will affect:

The islands of the northern and eastern Aegean on Saturday morning.
Sporades, Evia, the eastern parts of Thessaly as well as the eastern Sterea, from the morning hours of Saturday until noon on Sunday.
Eastern Peloponnese and the Cyclades from the afternoon hours of Saturday until Sunday morning.
Northern Crete from Saturday night until Monday morning.

Snow expected even at lower altitudes
Snowfall will occur initially in the mountains of the mainland and spread gradually into Crete. The snowfall will be heavier in the mountains of Thessaly, eastern Sterea, Evia, and the eastern Peloponnese while areas with lower altitudes will be gradually affected (indicative altitude 600-900 meters, up to 2,952 feet).

Today, Friday, light local and fairly scattered rains are forecast in the central and southern Aegean during the day. On the mainland, there will be patches of sunny weather, with generally clear weather. The scene will be more cloudy only in northern Greece.

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection of the Ministry of Climate Crisis & Civil Protection says it has warned emergency services, as well as local authorities, to be on increased alert in order to deal immediately with the effects of the severe weather.

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