On Saturday, March 8, high maximum temperatures were recorded across much of the country, particularly in Northern Greece. The highest temperature was recorded at the weather station in Paranesti, Drama, at 24.1°C.

The following map shows the maximum temperatures until 5:10 PM on Saturday, with the table presenting the eight highest temperatures from 532 weather stations of the National Observatory of Athens / meteo.gr’s automatic weather station network.

Weather Outlook: Generally clear skies across the country, with a few temporary clouds in the southwestern areas, the Cyclades, Crete, the eastern Aegean islands, and the Dodecanese until noon. In the morning and evening, visibility will be locally reduced in the western regions and the eastern Aegean.

Winds will be variable at 2-3 Beaufort in the west, gradually shifting to southeast at 3-4 Beaufort in the afternoon. Winds in the east will be from the north at 3-4 Beaufort, turning south in the afternoon with the same intensity. Temperatures will remain stable, reaching 18-20°C.

Detailed Regional Forecast:

Macedonia, Thrace:
Weather: Mostly sunny.
Winds: Variable, 2-4 Beaufort, with northeastern winds in the east at 3-4 Beaufort during the morning.
Temperature: 3-19°C, 2-3°C lower in Western Macedonia.

Ionian Islands, Epirus, Western Central Greece, Western Peloponnese:
Weather: Generally sunny, with brief clouds in the southern Ionian and western Peloponnese during midday.
Winds: Variable, 2-3 Beaufort, gradually turning southeast at 3-4 Beaufort in the afternoon.
Temperature: 8-20°C, 2-4°C lower in inland Epirus.

Eastern Central Greece, Evia, Eastern Peloponnese:
Weather: Mostly sunny.
Winds: Initially from the north at 3-4 Beaufort, turning to southerly winds with the same intensity in the afternoon.
Temperature: 5-19°C.

Cyclades, Crete:
Weather: Mostly sunny, with a few clouds over the mountains of Crete during midday.
Winds: Westerly-northwesterly at 3-4 Beaufort.
Temperature: 10-18°C.

Eastern Aegean Islands – Dodecanese:
Weather: Generally sunny, with scattered clouds, especially in the Dodecanese until noon.
Winds: Northerly-northeasterly at 4-5 Beaufort in the north, turning to north-northwesterly at 3-4 Beaufort in the afternoon. Westerly-northwesterly at 2-4 Beaufort in the south.
Temperature: 13-19°C, 2-3°C lower in the north.

Thessaly:
Weather: Mostly sunny.
Winds: Initially from the north at 3-4 Beaufort, turning southerly with the same intensity in the afternoon.
Temperature: 5-18°C.

Attica:
Weather: Mostly sunny.
Winds: Initially from the north at 3-4 Beaufort, turning southerly with the same intensity in the afternoon.
Temperature: 7-19°C.

Thessaloniki:
Weather: Mostly sunny.
Winds: Variable at 2 Beaufort, turning southerly at 3-4 Beaufort in the afternoon.
Temperature: 3-18°C.

African Dust and Rising Temperatures Next Week: High temperatures, African dust, and sea fog will dominate the weather over the coming days in Greece.

According to meteorologist Clearchos Marousakis, next week, Europe will be divided. To the west and north of Italy, bad weather will prevail, while to the south, high temperatures, African dust, and extensive sea fog will be common, with rain expected to be minimal.

Temperatures are expected to rise over the coming days, reaching 26-28°C, with the highest temperatures in Eastern Greece and northern Crete.

African Dust Forecast: Atmospheric circulation will favor the transport of African dust to Greece. This phenomenon is common in the spring but has become more frequent and intense in recent years, partly due to desertification, which is a result of climate change.

Fog and Dust: The warm, humid air impacting Greece will lead to the formation of widespread sea fog. The African dust will enhance this phenomenon, significantly reducing visibility.

Spring Weather Patterns: It seems spring is trying to assert itself early. However, the atmospheric conditions over Europe will cause cold air to be trapped in northern regions, so while we may experience more spring-like conditions, there may still be occasional cold spells.