A significant weather shift is expected across Greece on Friday, 24 July 2026, as a brief heatwave — which brought high temperatures for three days — gives way to a stormy cold front. According to the National Observatory of Athens (EMY), widespread severe weather is forecast, including thunderstorms, heavy downpours, localized hail, and gusty winds.
Areas Under Weather Warnings
The EMY has issued orange and red weather alerts for several regions:
- Central Macedonia (including Pieria, Imathia, Chalkidiki, and Thessaloniki): Thunderstorms and heavy rain from late morning until late evening (orange alert).
- Eastern Thessaly (Larissa and Magnesia prefectures): Storms expected from noon through late night — especially along coastal and marine areas (red alert for sea zones, orange elsewhere).
- Sporades and Evia (particularly central and northern parts): Severe storms beginning at midday (red alert).
- Eastern Central Greece, including Attica: Afternoon into evening storms (orange alert).
- Northeastern Aegean islands (Lemnos, Thasos, Samothrace): Storms developing late in the evening (orange alert).
Wind and Temperature Outlook
Winds will blow from northerly directions at 4–6 Beaufort across most of the country. Locally, up to 7 Beaufort is expected over the Ionian Sea and southeastern Aegean. Temperatures will dip slightly but remain warm: highs of 29–30°C in northern Greece, 30–32°C elsewhere, and up to 33°C in Crete and the Dodecanese.
Attica
Skies will start clear but cloud cover will increase rapidly, bringing scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms — some locally intense — during the afternoon and into the evening. Winds will be variable at 3–4 Beaufort early on, shifting to northerly and strengthening to 5 Beaufort by night. Temperatures will range between 22°C and 30°C.
Thessaloniki
Cloudy with intermittent rain and isolated thunderstorms, intensifying from late morning through the afternoon. Winds will begin variable (3–4 Beaufort), then gradually shift to north-northwest, reaching 4–5 Beaufort and peaking at 6 Beaufort by evening. Temperatures will range from 20°C to 28°C.
Macedonia & Thrace
Cloudy with rain and scattered thunderstorms — locally strong — particularly across central Macedonia (Pieria, Imathia, Chalkidiki, Thessaloniki) from late morning until late evening, and over Thasos and Samothrace from late evening onward. Conditions will ease in western areas after nightfall. Winds will shift from variable (3–4 Beaufort) to northerly (4–6 Beaufort). Temperatures will range from 18°C to 29–30°C; in western Macedonia, lows will be 3–4°C cooler than elsewhere.
Ionian Islands, Epirus, Western Central Greece, and Western Peloponnese
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and sporadic thunderstorms. A gradual easing of activity is expected after nightfall. Winds will be variable at 3–4 Beaufort.