Greece Braces for Cold Snap and Severe Weather This Christmas

By Tuesday, December 24th, almost the entire territory of Greece will be covered by severe bad weather. This includes piercing cold, strong winds, and the possibility of snow in some regions.

Meteorologist Yiannis Kallianos warns of an immediate cold snap and provides details. He notes that this Christmas will be the coldest in years, with minimal snowfall expected in the mountains.

“We will see a rapid decline into bad weather. Most areas will experience rain until tomorrow, with some clearing on Sunday. The weather will become more severe starting Monday. It will cover the entire country by Tuesday, bringing strong winds, storms, and snowfall in the mountains.”

Christmas weather is already being observed throughout the country. The first snow has fallen in the mountains. Precipitation will intensify in Attica and Thessaloniki later today, with showers and storms being the primary weather events.

Precipitation began early this morning, affecting areas like the western Peloponnese, the southernmost Ionian Sea islands (Kefalonia, Zakynthos), Macedonia, Thrace, the eastern Aegean Sea islands (Samos, Ikaria), the Dodecanese, and Crete (mainly western and southern regions). Snowfall is expected in the mountains of mainland Greece until noon.

The wind is currently westerly with an intensity of 5-7 on the Beaufort scale, reaching up to 8 points in some areas at sea. During the day, the wind will shift to the northwest and maintain the same intensity. It is expected to calm down a bit by evening.

Air temperatures will drop. In the northern regions, they will not exceed 10-12°C. In the rest of the country, temperatures will range from 15 to 17°C. The Cyclades, Crete, and Dodecanese will see slightly higher temperatures of 18-20°C. Western Macedonia may experience snow at lower altitudes.

Meteorologist Giorgos Tsatrafillias discusses the possibility of a “white Christmas” due to a low-pressure weather system. “Three low-pressure systems, one from the Gulf of Genoa, one from the Adriatic, and another from the Gulf of Sirte, will completely change the weather pattern from tomorrow until Friday, December 27th.”

According to the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY), rainy weather will primarily affect western Greece and the eastern Aegean Sea islands. Storms will move further east by this evening, bringing increased humidity and a chance of morning fog.

Here’s a more detailed look at the weather for specific locations:

• Attica: Clouds with some localized showers are expected before noon. The showers will become stronger in the afternoon, with a possibility of thunderstorms, mainly in the south. Temperatures in central Athens will range from 9 to 14°C, with the minimum expected by the end of the day.
• Thessaloniki: Rain is expected before noon, with a chance of storms in the morning. The wind will be northwesterly, ranging from 3 to 5 on the Beaufort scale. It will weaken slightly in the afternoon and not exceed 4. Temperatures in central Thessaloniki will range from 4 to 9°C, with the minimum expected by the end of the day.

Sunday’s weather will improve, with northerly winds and only light rain in coastal areas. However, temperatures will remain low, ranging from 13°C to 15°C.

More bad weather is expected to hit the country from midday on Monday, starting from the northwest. This second wave of bad weather will be more intense, bringing snow to lower levels in northwestern Greece, particularly areas like Florina, Ptolemais, and Kozani.

Christmas Eve will see snow concentrated in the mountains, maintaining a wintry atmosphere.

Source: pagenews.gr