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Greece is set for a week of two contrasting weather patterns, with the most intense heatwave of the summer arriving on Sunday, July 19, before gradually easing from midweek.

Forecasters expect temperatures to remain exceptionally high for three to four days, with the heat peaking on Monday and Tuesday. Across several inland regions, temperatures are forecast to reach 41°C to 42°C, while isolated areas could see even higher readings.

Meteorologists broadly agree that the heatwave will be relatively short-lived. Although all major forecasting models point to the arrival of the hot air mass on Sunday, they differ by as much as five degrees in their projections for the regions expected to experience the most extreme temperatures.

According to the head of the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY), maximum temperatures across much of mainland Greece will range between 37°C and 40°C, with some locations exceeding the 40°C mark. Athens is expected to see highs of 38°C to 39°C, while Thessaloniki is forecast to reach around 35°C. Weaker winds over the Aegean Sea are also expected to contribute to the rise in temperatures.

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Among the hottest locations will be Larissa, where temperatures could climb to 42°C, and Lamia, where highs are expected to approach 40°C. Other areas likely to experience extreme heat include Central Macedonia, the Thessalian Plain, Agrinio, eastern Central Greece and parts of the Peloponnese. Several Aegean islands are also expected to endure unusually hot conditions.

In Attica, temperatures are forecast to reach 40°C on both Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday, the most intense heat is expected to persist mainly over the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Boeotia and Attica, while northern Greece begins to cool.

Relief is expected to arrive from Wednesday onward, as temperatures gradually decline from the north. Central and southern parts of the country will remain hot for a little longer, but the heatwave is forecast to end in earnest on Thursday, when a more noticeable drop in temperatures is expected, accompanied by local thunderstorms and increased atmospheric instability in several regions.