A new spell of unsettled weather is moving across Greece, bringing widespread rain, scattered thunderstorms and a further drop in temperatures before conditions improve on Sunday.
Rain will gradually spread to more parts of the country on Friday, October 16, before the weather deteriorates further on Saturday. Central, eastern and southern Greece are expected to bear the brunt of the system, with locally stronger conditions forecast in parts of the Aegean, Thessaly, Central Greece, Evia and the Peloponnese.
Temperatures will also continue to fall, with highs in most areas limited to 17 to 19 degrees Celsius on Saturday, remaining particularly low for the time of year.
Rain Spreads Across Greece on Friday
Increased cloud cover, accompanied by local rain or showers, is expected Friday morning in Halkidiki, eastern Macedonia, Thrace, the northeastern Aegean islands, the Sporades and Evia.
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From midday, rain will spread intermittently across the rest of mainland Greece.
Conditions across the country’s other islands will initially remain mostly clear before cloud cover increases from midday.
The weather is expected to worsen late Friday night, with heavier rain in eastern Thessaly, eastern Central Greece, Evia, the eastern Peloponnese and the western Cyclades. Isolated thunderstorms are also possible, while light snowfall is forecast in mountainous areas of northwestern Greece.
Northerly winds will reach 4 to 6 on the Beaufort scale, temporarily rising to 7 in some areas at sea.
Temperatures will fall slightly across most of the country. Highs are forecast at 17 to 19 degrees Celsius in northern Greece and 20 to 21 degrees elsewhere. Temperatures could reach 22 to 23 degrees in some western areas and across the southern islands.
Athens Could See Thunderstorms Late Friday
In the greater Athens region of Attica, Friday will begin with periods of sunshine and some clouds, with cloud cover gradually increasing throughout the day.
Local rain is expected from the afternoon, followed by a chance of isolated thunderstorms late at night.
Temperatures will range from 11 to 20 degrees Celsius. Northerly winds will reach 3 to 5 Beaufort, temporarily strengthening to 6 in eastern Attica.
Thessaloniki, meanwhile, will see mostly clear conditions and sunshine early in the day. Clouds will increase from midday, bringing local rain.
Temperatures there will range from 10 to 18 degrees Celsius. Northwesterly winds of 4 to 5 Beaufort, temporarily reaching 6, will become light and variable from midday.
Saturday Brings Rain and Storms to Several Regions
Conditions will remain unsettled on Saturday, October 17, with rain and scattered thunderstorms forecast from the early hours across central, eastern and southern Greece, particularly in coastal and maritime areas.
The northern and eastern Aegean, eastern Thessaly, the Sporades, Evia, central and eastern Central Greece, the eastern and southern Peloponnese, the Cyclades, Crete and the Dodecanese are expected to be the main areas affected.
The rain and storms will gradually become confined to southeastern Greece by the afternoon before weakening by evening. Light snow is also possible in the mountains of Central Greece during the morning.
Western and northern Greece, by contrast, will see mostly clear skies and plenty of sunshine, with some clouds mainly during the morning.
Winds in the Ionian Sea will initially blow from the east and northeast, locally reaching 5 to 6 Beaufort, before becoming variable and easing to up to 4 Beaufort from midday. Northerly winds in the Aegean will reach 4 to 6 Beaufort and temporarily 7 in isolated areas.
Temperatures will fall further across most of Greece, remaining particularly low for mid-October. Highs will generally reach just 17 to 19 degrees Celsius, rising locally to around 20 degrees in southern Crete.
Conditions Improve Sunday
The weather is expected to improve considerably on Sunday, October 18, with mostly clear skies and sunshine across Greece.
Clouds will temporarily increase in western and southern areas during the afternoon, with a chance of brief, light rain in southwestern coastal and maritime areas.
Winds will also ease. Light, variable winds of 2 to 3 Beaufort are expected in the Ionian, while light southerly winds of 2 to 4 Beaufort will prevail in the Aegean. The southeastern Aegean will be the exception, with northwesterly winds reaching 4 to 5 Beaufort.
Temperatures will edge upward but remain below seasonal levels. Highs will generally reach 19 to 20 degrees Celsius, locally rising to 21 degrees.