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Greece dodges Europe’s deadly heatwave, but thunderstorms and blustering winds are on the way

The three weather trends from Tuesday through Friday

Newsroom June 22 09:59

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The heatwave currently affecting Western Europe is not expected to reach Greece, according to protothema.gr meteorologist Giorgos Tsatrafyllias, although unsettled weather is gradually returning and the week will bring small fluctuations in temperature and wind strength.

On Monday, June 22, 2026, skies are expected to be mostly clear across much of the country. Temporary showers may develop during the midday and afternoon hours, mainly in mountainous parts of Macedonia, Epirus and Central Greece.

Temperatures will reach 36C to 37C in western and northern mainland areas, while the Ionian Islands, Crete and the Dodecanese will see highs of 33C to 34C.

Winds will remain light in the Ionian Sea, while in the Aegean, northerly winds will locally reach 7 to 8 Beaufort.

In Attica, sunshine is forecast, with northerly winds of up to 7 Beaufort. Temperatures will range from 22C to 33C.

In Thessaloniki, there is a slight chance of brief drizzle from midday onwards. Conditions in the Thermaic Gulf will be almost calm, while temperatures are expected to reach 33C.

The weather in Greece this week

From Tuesday to Friday, the weather will be shaped by three main factors: marked instability, with rain and thunderstorms in mainland Greece; small temperature fluctuations; and northerly winds of up to 6 Beaufort in the Aegean.

Over the weekend, temperatures are expected to fall slightly, northerly winds will strengthen again, and most areas will see sunny weather.

Europe is burning up

Meanwhile, three people lost their lives in France due to health issues caused by the extreme heat, and nearly 2,700 French schools were set to close or adjust their schedules, as authorities across Europe issued heat wave warnings for today.

Temperatures in Bordeaux, in southwestern France, temperatures were forecast to exceed 42 degrees Celsius today and the meteorological service Meteo France announced that for 49 administrative regions, a red heatwave warning has been issued for today.

“We’re heading into at least several days of very, very hot weather. We don’t know when temperatures will start to drop,” said French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist on TF1.

Spain Is Also Sweltering

In Spain, the national meteorological service Aemet has declared a red alert for the Basque Country, with temperatures in San Sebastián expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius, nearly double its historical average for this time of year, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor.

“We’re seeing temperatures 5 to 10 degrees above normal for this time of year, and in some northern regions even more than 10 degrees above average,”, says Rubén del Campo, a spokesperson for Aemet.

There is little relief at night in certain parts of Spain, with temperatures not dropping below 25 or even 30 degrees Celsius in places such as the southwestern province of Almería, Aemet announced.

Heat Wave in Italy

Italy is also facing a heat wave. According to meteorologists, the intense heat is expected to continue affecting the country at least until the first few days of July.

As reported in the press, temperatures are expected to be up to ten degrees higher than the average for the last ten days of June. By midweek, the thermometer is expected to reach 40 degrees in regions such as the island of Sardinia, Lombardy, and Emilia-Romagna, as well as in the inland regions of central Italy. At night, humidity remains very high, and municipal authorities in various cities across the country have posted online a list of parks and air-conditioned indoor spaces, where citizens can find some cool relief, water, and shade.

Finally, due to the heat wave, the water level of the Po—Italy’s largest river—has dropped significantly; in many places, it has nearly dried up in recent days.

Alarm in Europe

Europe is currently the continent where temperatures are furthest from normal, with an average high of 24 degrees Celsius, which is 4.1 degrees Celsius above the average for the period from 1961 to 1990, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor, a digital tool developed by Reuters to track the effects of climate change in real time.

A powerful heatwave is sweeping across Europe, bringing temperatures close to 40°C and prompting widespread health warnings in Spain, Italy, and France.

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By comparison, Asia and North America are 2 degrees Celsius and 1.3 degrees Celsius above normal.

Wildlife shelters in northern Europe are making great efforts to cope with the high number of animals suffering from the heat. Birds such as house martins, swallows, sparrows, and wagtails—which build their nests on the eaves of houses—have been particularly affected by the abnormally high temperatures, says Romain de Geeger, a biologist and founder of CREAVES, a wildlife sanctuary in Templu, Belgium.

“The temperature on rooftops can sometimes reach 50, even 60 degrees Celsius. So they’d rather jump than die and literally be roasted in their nests,” de Geiger told Reuters, adding that the shelter has taken in 150 animals over the past three days.

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