- Thunderstorms, hail, and lightning are expected in northwestern Greece today.
- Storms are expected to ease by Sunday, followed by a sharp rise in temperatures.
- Meteorologists warn of heat nearing 40°C by midweek.
- North and west Greece bear the brunt; Athens is set for 35–36°C.
Saturday: Hail, Lightning, and a Nervous Sky
The weekend is not starting gently. Meteorologists agree that northwestern Greece is in for a rough time, with thunderstorms, hail, and vivid lightning expected to begin on Saturday afternoon. ERT’s Panagiotis Giannopoulos described it as a “temporary deterioration” of the weather, centered on the northern Ionian and Epirus.
By Saturday night, the system spreads into western Macedonia and parts of Sterea, with hail and heavy downpours on the menu. Thessaly and the rest of Macedonia may also get scattered storms, enough to rattle weekend plans.
Klearchos Marousakis of Open TV called it bluntly: “Caution with lightning in northern Greece over the weekend, from Lamia northwards, as it could cause many problems.”
Sunday Into Midweek: From Storms to Furnace
The bad weather lingers until Sunday morning, before weakening. By midday, eastern Macedonia and Thrace may still see a few showers, but elsewhere the skies begin to clear. Winds will remain modest, topping out at 5–6 Beaufort, according to Thodoris Kolydas.
And then, just as travelers start to breathe again, Greece shifts gear. Kolydas expects temperatures to rise 4–6°C above normal, ushering in September with a heat spike.
Giorgos Tsatrafyllias underscored the shift: “Great caution is needed on Saturday for thunderstorms in the northern Ionian and Epirus… The heat in the first week of September also seems certain, with temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday, 2–3/9/25, approaching 40°C in heat-prone areas of eastern and northern Greece.”
Athens, meanwhile, is expected to reach 35–36°C, warm enough to remind locals that summer has no intention of leaving politely.
A Country Between Two Seasons
The forecast reads like a drama: storms are rolling in today, with lightning cracking over Epirus and the Ionian, only to give way to a furnace by midweek. Meteorologists differ on the fine print — Giannopoulos stresses the short-lived violence, Kolydas downplays it as “a few showers,” while Tsatrafyllias and Marousakis issue sterner warnings.
The consensus? Saturday belongs to thunder, Tuesday to heat. Travelers and locals alike should pack both umbrellas and sun cream — and perhaps add a pinch of Greek patience, as the skies can change faster than the forecasts.