Greece woke to a markedly different weather picture on Thursday morning as a broad high-pressure field over parts of Europe pulled cooler northerly air across the country. Forecaster Klearchos Marousakis noted brisk winds already affecting mountain slopes such as Parnitha, and gusts reaching force 9 in the central Aegean.
Cool start and breezy day
Morning lows were unusually fresh for mid-September: Nevrokopi recorded just 8°C, Florina 10°C and the Parnitha area about 12°C. The northerly flow will keep afternoons breezy, even where temperatures still climb into the high 20s inland.
Local outlooks include:
- Attica: cloudier skies in the eastern and northern suburbs with a chance of light showers on Parnitha and Penteli; winds 6–8 Beaufort and daytime highs up to about 28°C.
- Thessaloniki: strong northerlies near 7 Beaufort and highs around 27°C.
- Central Aegean and sea areas: the strongest winds, with gusts reported up to 9 Beaufort.
Temperature drop on the way
Meteorologists say the northerly air mass will arrive in earnest on Thursday, producing a pronounced cooling. Temperatures are expected to fall by about 5–6°C compared with Wednesday’s maxima, making the change both noticeable and abrupt for residents and visitors.
High fire danger in exposed zones
The rapid strengthening of north winds raises a separate concern: fire danger. Authorities and weather services point to a very high to extreme fire-weather index across parts of Attica, Boeotia, Central and South Euboea, eastern Argolida, Laconia, many Aegean islands and southern Crete. In these areas, any new ignition would be difficult to control while winds remain strong.
Storm gusts cause local damage
Strong gusts overnight caused material damage in some areas. In Volos, violent winds toppled trees, blocking roads and snapping branches. At the 2nd Primary School of Volos (Makrinitsis Street) large trees were found collapsed at the school entrance in the morning — residents said they count themselves lucky the fall happened at night, and urged authorities to remove hazardous trees before they threaten lives.
Practical advice
With the quick turn in conditions, forecasters ask locals to: secure loose objects outdoors, avoid unnecessary travel in coastal and exposed zones while winds are strong, and be vigilant about fire safety — especially in rural and forested areas where control of new blazes may be difficult.
