Heavy rain and thunderstorms have swept across the country, accompanied by snowfall even at low altitudes, marking a turbulent start to the week. According to the EMY forecast, this weather pattern will persist in some areas through Tuesday, with a gradual weakening of the phenomena expected from Wednesday onward.

Regions with the heaviest rainfall on Monday

Significant levels of rainfall were recorded by midday on Monday (13/01) in parts of the eastern Peloponnese and eastern Sterea, as can be seen in the map below. The highest rainfall up to 14:00 has been recorded at the weather station in Spetses with 95.8 mm.

The map below shows the total rainfall heights up to 14:00 on Monday as recorded by 523 weather stations of the National Observatory of Athens/Meteo.gr network of automatic weather stations, with the 8 largest ones highlighted.

Heavy rain has been heavy across the Attica basin since early this morning, making travel difficult, among other things, as the vast majority of Attica’s main roads are congested at times.

Severe damage in Kalamata – Rio – Antirrio ferry closed

Damage to the coastal front of Kalamata was caused by heavy winds and the heavy rainfall of the previous hours in Messinia.

Especially in Kitries, in the municipality of West Mani, the road leading to the beach turned into a torrent that carried away debris, ripped up the road surface and caused damage in front of the beach shops.

The rushing torrent swept away cars, motorbikes, trailers, boats and boats in its wake and even ripped up yards.

In one case, authorities even proceeded to extricate a woman from her ground-floor home when the rushing waters tore open the entrance.

The mayor of West Mani, Giorgos Chioureas, has been in contact with the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias, about the damage caused in the area, while the necessary procedures are underway to declare the municipality in a state of emergency to facilitate the restoration of the damage.

At the same time, due to the gusty winds in the Patraikos, it was decided to close the ferry line Rio – Antirrio.

On the contrary, the traffic of vehicles on the bridge “Charilaos Trikoupis” is conducted normally, as the ban on the passage of bicycles and trucks without loads that were in force in the previous hours has been lifted.

Snow fell in areas of Thessaloniki

Areas of Thessaloniki are now “dressed in white” with residents of Chortiatis waking up to white roads as snow started falling yesterday evening.

The areas with the most severe weather

Intense, intermittent weather phenomena are in Fthiotida, Eurytania and Fokida, especially in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas and at altitudes above 250 meters.

In the mountains, especially in mountainous areas and in mountainous regions with a height of more than 250m.

It is snowing in the mountains of West Fthiotida, without any problems, as well as in Evritania, while snowfall has also started in the Fokida region since dawn.

From the afternoon onwards, from the morning, Fofiakos began to appear in the area of Fotiak.

Machines of the Region of Central Greece from midnight and after pouring salt and removing the snow on the road Lamia-Karpenisiu, particularly in the Rachi Tymfristou and Lamia-Domokou where the snowfall at dawn had covered the road from the 10th km to the 22nd km.

Dense snowfall covers the villages peripheral to Parnassos such as Amfiklia, Eptalofos, Polyroso and the villages of Gravia.

Peloponnese, Peloponnese, Peloponnese and Glivina.

On the Fthiotida and Fokida side, snow is falling in Pavliani, and the mountain villages of Fokida. In the area of Ypati the mountain villages have snowfall exceeding 15 cm, while snowfall continues with particular intensity without problems in semi-mountainous areas.

Truck Traffic Ban and Chain Requirements in Central Macedonia

The General Regional Police Directorate of Central Macedonia has issued an update regarding truck traffic restrictions and areas where the use of snow chains is mandatory.

A ban on trucks exceeding 3.5 tons remains in effect for the following sections of the road network:

• The entire national, provincial, and municipal road network of the Pella Regional Unit.
• From the 20th km of the Katerini-Elassona national road to the border with the Larissa Regional Unit.
• From the 51st to the 100th km of the Thessaloniki-Ierissos national road.
• Both lanes of the vertical axis of the Egnatia Motorway (Lagadas-Serres-Promachonas), from the Strimoniko junction to the Riziana interchange.

Exemptions apply to emergency vehicles, road assistance units, trucks carrying salt, and snowplows. Additionally, the Kilkis Police Directorate has lifted the previous truck ban on its road network.

Due to ongoing snowfall, anti-slip chains are required at specific road points.

Imathia:

– from the 18th to the 26th kilometre of the provincial road Veroia-Selios,

– from the 91.4th kilometer of the old Thessaloniki-Kozani national road (via Kastania) to the border with the Regional Unit of Kozani,

– from the 1st to the 17th kilometre of the municipal road Naoussa-3/5 Pigadia,

– from the 1st to the 17th kilometre of the Naoussa-Selios provincial road,

– from the 1st to the 8th kilometre of the Naoussa-Arkohori municipal road,

Kilkis:

– from the 12th kilometre of the provincial road of Goumenissa-Livadia,

Pella:

– from the 87th to the 118th kilometre of the Thessaloniki-Florina national road, as well as on the old Thessaloniki-Florina national road (responsibility of the Edessa Traffic Police Department),

– from the 2nd to the 10th kilometre of the Edessa-Aridea provincial road,

– the entire municipal road network of the Municipality of Edessa, except for the local

community of Rizariou,

Pieria:

– from the 20th km of the national road Katerini-Elassona to the border with the Regional Unit of Larissa,

– from the end of the provincial road Ritini-Elatochorio to the Ski Centre of Elatochorio,

– from the 4th km of the provincial road Neos Panteleimon-Paleos Panteleimon

– on the provincial road Litochoro – Holy Monastery of Agios Dionysios,

Halkidiki:

– from the 65th to the 95th kilometre of the Thessaloniki-Ierissos national road,

– from the 60th to the 85th km of the old Thessaloniki-Ierissos highway (via Taxiarchi)

– from the 51st to the 65,5 km of the Thessaloniki-Ierissos highway (Kerasia),

– from the 1st to the 10th kilometre of the provincial road Neochori-Varvara to the provincial road Paleochori-Agios Nikolaos to the 10th kilometre,

– on the Arnea-Stanos provincial road up to km 10,

– from the 1st to the 10th kilometre of the provincial road from Neochoriu to Olympiada,

– the municipal road connecting the municipal district of Sanae with the Thessaloniki-Ierissos national road, and

– the municipal road connecting the municipal district of Vavdou with the Thessaloniki-Polygyros highway.

The truck ban on the national road is extended in Thessaly

From 14.00 today (13-01-2025) and until further notice, the ban on the circulation of all types of heavy vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of more than 3.5 tonnes, regardless of their equipment and the use of anti-slip chains, is extended on both traffic streams, on the section from the Kalambaka junction of the E65 to the national network towards Panagia EO6 and Grevena EO15 to the Egnatia junctions. The General Regional Police Directorate of Thessaly stresses this in a relevant announcement, to avoid causing traffic problems due to weather phenomena.

Specifically:

A) National Road Trikala – Ioannina: from the 28th km. of the national road (Mourganiou junction) to the 65th km (Malakasi A/K),

From the 65th to the 65th km.
B) National Road Mourgkani – Grevena: from the 1st km of the national road (Mourgkani junction) to the 24th km (border with the Police Directorate of Grevena).

Road assistance vehicles, lorries carrying salt, and emergency vehicles (E.K.A.B., P.Y. etc.) are excluded from the above prohibition.

It is reminded that for the entire road network of the prefectures of Larissa, Magnesia, Trikala and Karditsa it is obligatory to equip all vehicles with anti-slip chains or other similar anti-slip means, if these vehicles do not have special tires.

Where will schools be closed on Tuesday

Meteora

On Tuesday 14-01-2025 the schools of the A / secondary education will remain closed in Chrysomilia – Abelia – Oxynia – Agiophyllos – Asprokklisia and Panagia, the Municipality of Meteora. The schools of the Secondary Education in Abelia and Oxynia, of the Municipality of Meteora, will also remain closed.

Municipality of Amphipolis

Closed all schools of the Municipality of Amphipolis due to frost on Tuesday 14/1/2025.

Municipality of Amyndeon

By decision of the Mayor of Amyntaion Ioannis Liasi, on Tuesday 14 January 2025, the Primary and Secondary schools of the Municipality of Amyntaion will be closed due to adverse weather conditions. Kindergartens will operate normally.

Eordaea

The in-person operation of all A / B / B / Municipal School Units of the Municipality of Eordaea
as well as the Evening School of Education, on January 14, 2025, will be closed due to adverse weather conditions (snowfall – low temperatures). The Municipal Kindergartens will operate normally.

Florina

By the decision of the Mayor of Florina Mr. Vassilis Giannakis, the primary and secondary schools of the Municipality of Florina will be closed on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, due to the adverse weather conditions (snowfall and low temperatures) prevailing in the region. The kindergartens will operate normally.

Municipality of Prespa

By the decision of the Mayor of Prespes, Giorgos Stergios, schools of all levels and the KDAP of the Municipality of Prespes will be closed on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, due to the adverse weather conditions prevailing in the area. The kindergarten will operate normally.

Municipality of Sofades

Schools in the Municipality of Sofades will be closed on Tuesday, January 14. A decision of the Municipality of Sofades signed by Mayor Demosthenes Katsis provides that the schools of Primary and Secondary Education will be closed on Tuesday, January 14 due to the severe weather conditions that prevail and make it dangerous for students to stay in schools.

How the bad weather will move

The locally heavy rain and thunderstorms, the snowfall even at low altitudes and gusty winds will continue until Tuesday (14-01-25) according to the updated report of EMF. From Wednesday (15-01-25) the phenomena will gradually weaken while the frost, mainly in northern Greece, will continue for the next three days.

Monday

a) Rain

Heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast in the Ionian Sea (mainly the south), the islands of the northern and eastern Aegean, the Peloponnese, Central Greece, Thessaly (mainly in the east), the Sporades and Evia.

b) Snow

In Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace, and Thessaly heavy snowfall will occur locally in mountainous – semi-mountainous areas, and in some places snow will also fall in areas with lower altitudes. In Central Greece and the Peloponnese, heavy snowfall will occur in mountainous – semi-mountainous areas and in the northern parts of Central Greece (Fthiotida) and in areas with lower altitudes.

Gusty northeast winds of 8 to 9 Beaufort will blow in the northern Aegean Sea. In the Ionian Sea gusty east-southeast winds of 7 to 8 Beaufort.

Tuesday

a) Rain

Heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast in the Ionian Sea (mainly the south), the islands of the northern and eastern Aegean, the Peloponnese (mainly the west and south), Central Greece, Thessaly (mainly the east), the Sporades, Evia and occasionally the Cyclades.

b) Snow

In Epirus, Macedonia and Thrace snowfall will occur locally in mountainous – semi-mountainous areas and in some places in areas with lower altitudes which will gradually decrease.

In Thessaly, Central Greece and the Peloponnese, heavy snowfall will occur in mountainous – semi-mountainous and lower altitudes areas of Thessaly and Central Greece (Fthiotida, Boeotia).

In the Aegean Sea, gusty northeast winds of 8 and in the north 9 Beaufort will blow. In the Ionian Sea gusty easterly winds of 7 to 8 Beaufort will blow. Gradual weakening is expected from the afternoon hours.