Greece heat wave brings thunderstorms and heightened fire danger

A heat wave is sweeping across Greece, with inland temperatures expected to reach 35 °C. Sunny skies will dominate most of the country, but the eastern mountainous regions of Macedonia, Thrace and Epirus are forecast to experience afternoon instability, including thunderstorms, hail and strong gusts.

The combination of high heat and strong convective activity raises the risk of wildfires, especially in interior areas such as Thessaly, Boeotia, the Peloponnese and central Greece. Coastal zones will benefit from sea breezes that keep temperatures a few degrees lower, while wind speeds remain moderate overall, increasing to 5 – 6 Beaufort in the southeast Aegean and the Corinthian Gulf.