Greece braces for heat wave with temperatures up to 40 °C and strong northerly winds

Greece heat wave 40 °C temperatures strong northerly winds wildfire risk August 2026

The national weather service forecasts a heat wave across Greece from early to mid‑August 2026. Maximum temperatures are expected to reach 38‑39 °C on the mainland and, in isolated spots of western continental Greece, climb to 40 °C. The Aegean Sea will experience strong northerly (boreas) winds, locally up to 7‑8 bft, while the mainland will see winds of 3‑5 bft.

Scattered showers are possible in mountainous areas of Macedonia, Thrace, Epirus and the central mainland, with occasional isolated thunderstorms. The combination of high heat and strong winds raises the risk of wildfires, especially in the Attica, Evia, Cyclades and southern Peloponnese regions. Meteorologists such as Thodoris Kolydas and Olga Papavgoulli warn that the wind‑driven fire danger will remain elevated through the weekend. A slight weakening of the winds is forecast for the following Monday, but temperatures will stay above 35 °C.

Overall, the forecast calls for clear, hot conditions with intermittent local rain, strong winds in the Aegean, and heightened fire‑prevention alerts across the country.

Entities

Aegean Sea · Central Macedonia · Christiana Rigo · Christiana Rigou · George Tsatravyllia · Greece · Greek Meteorological Service · Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) · Ionian Sea · Macedonia · Mediterranean Sea · Meltemi winds

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] In Crete, July 2026 was the sixth warmest July since 2010. www.naftemporiki.gr · www.newmoney.gr
[● 3 SOURCES] July 2026 recorded slightly higher average maximum daily temperatures across all Greek regions compared with the 2010‑2019 average. www.naftemporiki.gr · www.newmoney.gr
[● 3 SOURCES] Fire‑danger maps place Attica, parts of Evia and the Northern Aegean in category 4 (high) risk during the heat wave.
[● 3 SOURCES] July 2026 was the eighth warmest July in western Greece, the Ionian islands, and the Aegean islands. www.naftemporiki.gr · www.newmoney.gr
[● 4 SOURCES] The highest predicted temperatures are expected in Lamia and Larissa, possibly exceeding 39‑40 °C. www.ethnos.gr
[● 4 SOURCES] After 10‑11 August, temperatures are expected to gradually decrease, with generally dry conditions and low rainfall. pelop.gr · www.ethnos.gr
[● 6 SOURCES] Meteorologist Theodoros Kolydas forecasts a temperature rise peaking between 8 and 10 August 2026, with possible maximums up to 40 °C in central and northern mainland Greece. pelop.gr · www.ethnos.gr
[● 3 SOURCES] July 2026 was the seventh warmest July in Thessaly, Central Greece and the Peloponnese. www.naftemporiki.gr · www.newmoney.gr
[● 15 SOURCES] Interior temperatures in Greece are expected to reach around 40 °C on 6 August 2026. grtimes.gr · rpn.gr · www.tokarfi.gr · www.agronews.gr · www.irafina.gr · +8 more
[● 16 SOURCES] A yellow heat warning was issued for Greece on 6 August 2026, effective from 14:00 to 16:30. grtimes.gr · rpn.gr · www.tokarfi.gr · www.agronews.gr · www.irafina.gr · +8 more
[● 4 SOURCES] Cyprus issued a yellow warning for extreme maximum temperature of about 40 °C on 6 August 2026. omegalive.com.cy · dialogos.com.cy
[DISPUTED] Temperatures are expected to remain high but without a significant rise over the next three days across Greece and Cyprus. www.tokarfi.gr · www.irafina.gr · omegalive.com.cy