According to the Athens National Observatory, temperatures in Greece tomorrow will break world records for this time of year. The forecast calls for 40 degrees Celsius plus in some areas of the country.
On Sunday in Larissa, meteorologists say the temperature will reach 44 degrees Celsius, and 42 or more in Athens 42, while in Sparta and Livadia it will hit 40 degrees. If they are correct, this would be a world record heatwave for this time of year.
These temperatures are at least 10 degrees above normal for the middle of May, according to the experts. University of Crete Professor Nikos Michalopoulos told Kathimerini about previous May 40C events.
The head of the NOA’s Institute for Research and Sustainable Development says if forecasts for temperatures as high as 41 Celsius, then this weekend will be the worst mid-May heatwave on record in 150 years.
Today on Crete, the south of the island was supposed to reach 40C, and big winds are churning the Libyan Sea to 5 on the Beaufort scale. So far, the general temperature in the south of the island is about 39 degrees Celcius (at Matala). There is a lot of Sahara dust permeating the atmosphere, as per predictions.
Meteorologists also warn of very high UV rays at beaches on account of an accumulation of ozone over the Eastern Mediterranean. Greece is hoping to save the Summer 2020 tourist season put in jeopardy by the coronavirus pandemic. If some experts are correct about high temperatures killing the virus, Greece will be the first place to test the theory given these heatwave warnings.
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