The second heat wave is underway since yesterday with the new heatwave being felt across the country.
According to the updated Emergency Weather Hazards Bulletin (EDECF) issued yesterday by the National Meteorological Service (EMY), a new thermal spike will be felt throughout the country until Sunday 23-7-2023, while on Monday 24-7-2023 a temporary decrease in very high temperatures is expected.
b) From Tuesday 25-7-2023 to Thursday 27-7-2023 a third heatwave is expected.
More specifically:
Today, Saturday, July 23, a slight further rise in temperature is forecast. Maximum values will reach:
a. in Epirus and Macedonia 39 to 41 degrees Celsius and in places in central Macedonia 42 degrees Celsius
b. in Thessaly, Central Greece and the Peloponnese 42 to 43 degrees Celsius and in places in Thessaly and eastern Central Greece 44 degrees Celsius
c. in the Ionian Islands, the Dodecanese and Crete, 40 to 42 degrees Celsius
d. in Thrace and the rest of the island country 39 to 41 degrees Celsius.
On Sunday 23-7-2023 the maximum values will reach:
a. in the mainland 41 to 43 degrees Celsius and in some places in the interior of Central Greece and the Peloponnese 44 degrees Celsius and in Thessaly 45 degrees Celsius
b. in the island country 39 to 41 degrees Celsius.
On Monday 24-7-2023 the temperature is forecast to drop by 2 to 5 degrees Celsius, with the largest drop occurring in the eastern part of the country and the smallest in the western part.
Maximum values will reach:
a. on the mainland 38 to 40 degrees Celsius and in some places in Central Greece and the Peloponnese 41 to 42 degrees Celsius
b. 37 to 39 degrees Celsius on the Ionian Islands, the Dodecanese and southern Crete and 35 to 36 degrees Celsius in the rest of the island country.
According to all available forecast data from Tuesday 25-7-2023 to Thursday 27-7-2023 very high temperatures are expected again in our country. On Friday 28-7-2023 very high temperatures will be maintained in the central and southern part of the country, while in northern Greece a significant drop is expected.
Citizens can be informed daily about the development of extraordinary weather phenomena in the regular weather bulletins of the National Weather Service and on the website of the National Weather Service at www.emy.gr.
Here is the entire weather forecast for today from EMY:
Generally clear weather with a few occasional clouds in the mountains mainly in the north of the country in the afternoon hours, when local rain may occur in the northeastern mountains.
Winds will blow west northwest 3 to 5 and in the southeastern Aegean Sea 6 to 7 Beaufort.
The temperature will rise slightly further. Maximum values will reach 39 to 41 degrees Celsius in Epirus and Macedonia and 42 degrees in central Macedonia, 42 to 43 degrees in Thessaly, Central Greece and Peloponnese and 44 degrees in Thessaly and eastern Central Greece, 40 to 42 degrees in the Ionian Islands, the Dodecanese and Crete and 39 to 41 degrees Celsius in Thrace and the rest of the island country.
Macedonia, Thrace
Weather: generally clear, with a few occasional clouds in the afternoon hours, when local rain is likely in the mountains of eastern Macedonia and Thrace.
‘Winds: Western southwestern 3 to 4 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 21 to 39 to 41 and locally in central Macedonia up to 42 degrees Celsius.
Ionian Islands, Ionian Islands, Epirus, Western Sterea, Western Peloponnese
Weather: generally clear, with a few occasional clouds in the afternoon hours in the mountains.
‘Winds: West northwest 3 to 5 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 24 to 42 and in the mainland up to 43 degrees Celsius.
Thessaly, Eastern Sterea, Eastern Peloponnese
Weather: generally clear, with a few occasional clouds in the afternoon hours in the mountains.
‘Winds: West 3 to 5 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 25 to 42 to 43 and in places in Thessaly and eastern Central Greece up to 44 degrees Celsius.
Cyclades, Crete, Greece
Weather: clear.
‘Winds: North-northwest 4 to 5 and in the east locally 6 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 26 to 39 degrees Celsius and in Crete in some places up to 42 degrees Celsius.
East Aegean Islands - Dodecanese
Weather: clear.
‘Winds: North-northwestern 4 to 6 and in the south locally 7 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 26 to 40 to 42 degrees Celsius.
Euboea
Weather: clear.
‘Winds: North 3 to 4 Beaufort and from the afternoon south with the same intensity.
Temperature: From 25 to 40 to 41 degrees Celsius.
Attica
Weather: clear.
‘Winds: Variable 3 to 4 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 28 to 41 degrees Celsius. In the coastal areas the maximum will be 2 to 3 degrees lower.
Thessaloniki
Weather: generally clear, with a few occasional clouds in the afternoon hours in the surrounding mountains.
‘Winds: south southeastern 3 to 4 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 25 to 39 degrees Celsius.
In Akrotiri of Chania yesterday the maximum temperature was recorded
According to the network of automatic weather stations of the National Observatory of Athens / Meteo.gr the maximum temperatures yesterday were very high, exceeding 40 degrees in many areas. 41 meteorological stations recorded maximum temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, while in 3 of them the maximum temperature exceeded 42 degrees. The absolute maximum temperature was recorded at Akrotiri in Chania and was equal to 42.6 degrees Celsius.
In addition, severe discomfort and high heat index values were recorded yesterday in areas of high temperature combined with high relative humidity. More specifically, in the Isthmus of Corinth at noon on Friday, a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius was recorded, while in Preveza the temperature reached 49 degrees Celsius.
Recommendations of the GGP to citizens for the second heat wave
Recommendations to citizens to be particularly careful, ensuring that they take measures for self-protection from the risks arising from the prevalence of high temperatures, the General Secretariat of Civil Protection.
In areas where high temperatures are predicted to prevail, the General Secretariat for Civil Protection (civilprotection.gov.gr) draws the attention of people belonging to vulnerable groups to be particularly careful in the coming days, in order to avoid health problems, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which may be caused by the high temperatures that will prevail.
In particular, according to the instructions for self-protection from high temperatures, it is recommended that citizens:
- Stay in cool and shady areas away from crowds, use air conditioners or fans and avoid heavy physical work in areas with high temperatures, airlessness and high humidity.
Avoid sunbathing, as well as walking or running in the sun, and wear a hat and sunglasses and light-coloured clothing made of a fabric that allows the skin to ventilate and facilitates the evaporation of sweat, avoiding synthetic fabrics.
Eat light meals with fruits and vegetables, limiting the amount of fat and the quantity of food.
Drink plenty of water and fruit juices, avoiding alcohol.
Particular care is recommended for babies and young children, as well as the elderly and those suffering from chronic diseases to protect them from high temperatures
The GGP (civilprotection.gov.gr) of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, has informed the relevant government departments involved, as well as the regions and municipalities of the country, to be on increased civil protection preparedness, in order to deal immediately with the effects of the prevalence of high temperatures.
For more information and instructions on how to protect themselves from high temperatures, citizens can visit the website of the General Secretariat of Civil Protection at civilprotection.gov.gr and the following documents of the Ministry of Health:
https://diavgeia.gov.gr/doc/%CE%A8%CE%9C%CE%9F1465%CE%A6%CE%A5%CE%9F-%CE%9A%CE%9D%CE%94
https://diavgeia.gov.gr/doc/9%CE%A7%CE%96%CE%9B465%CE%A6%CE%A5%CE%9F-%CE%A050?inline=true
Specific issues concerning the prevention of heat stress of workers are given in the following document of the Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs:https://diavgeia.gov.gr/doc/6%CE%A1%CE%9B646%CE%9C%CE%A4%CE%9B%CE%9A-%CE%A16%CE%9F
