Greece prepares for first heatwave of the year

Athens (AFP) – Greece, which survived record heatwaves that struck most European countries in June, is bracing for its first heatwave of the year.

Meteorologist Theodoros Kollias said on Facebook that maximum temperatures in the Thessaly region, parts of the Peloponnese peninsula, and the greater Athens area “could reach or exceed 40 degrees Celsius,” with a possibility of a decline by Thursday.

He added that data from tomorrow (Monday) through next Wednesday showed “that we are not dealing with a simple warm spell, but with hot weather that has the characteristics of a heatwave itself, particularly over the mainland.”

The meteo.gr weather website reported that the first reading above 40 degrees Celsius this season was recorded in the town of Konitsa in the northwest, where temperatures reached 40.4 degrees Celsius.

It is unusual for temperatures to rise in Greece in late July.

However, rainfall this month and strong winds helped keep heatwaves at bay this season, even as record high temperatures were broken across much of Europe.