A thick cloud of African dust has settled over nearly the entire country this week, triggering air quality warnings and bringing muggy, stifling conditions, according to AtmoHub—the national platform for atmospheric monitoring and forecasting.
The dust event is expected to peak on Tuesday, May 6, with surface concentrations exceeding 50 μg/m³ in Crete, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, and the Ionian Islands. Air conditions will become particularly suffocating from midday Tuesday through Wednesday, though elevated dust levels may persist until the weekend.
Muddy rain is also likely in Central and Northern Greece, Northern Peloponnese, and the Ionian Islands, due to high moisture levels in the atmosphere.
Sensitive groups are urged to avoid prolonged outdoor activity and intense exercise during this period.
Two Waves of Heat and Dust
According to meteorologist Giorgos Tsatrafilias, Greece will experience two waves of hot air and African dust transported from Libya through the eastern Mediterranean.
First Wave: Tuesday – Wednesday
- Muddy rain and scattered afternoon showers in Central and Northern Greece
- Temperatures reaching 32–33°C in Thessaly, Boeotia, Phthiotis, and Crete (locally higher in northern Crete)
- Athens: 30°C, Thessaloniki: 28°C
- High dust concentrations across western and southern Greece
Second Wave: Friday – Saturday
- Local showers and muddy rain in Northern Greece
- Temperatures up to 35°C in Crete, and 32–33°C in Peloponnese, Aetolia-Acarnania, Boeotia, Evia, and Phthiotis
- Athens: 30°C, Thessaloniki: 28°C
- Increased dust presence in western, central, and southern regions
See how the African dust phenomenon is evolving across Greece in real time:
