Starting Wednesday, April 23, the country will see widespread rain, showers, and localised hail, particularly in mainland areas and Crete, with conditions persisting through Sunday.
The weather will turn increasingly unstable, with afternoon showers expected in Athens on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. From Thursday, a cold air mass over Greece will push temperatures down to seasonal norms of 20-22°C. By next week, Athens could see highs of just 16°C—7 to 8 degrees below average for late April. This chilly spell is expected to linger into early May.
Regional Weather Outlook
- Attica: Partly cloudy with denser clouds by midday Wednesday, reaching 23°C. Winds will be variable, occasionally northerly at 3-4 Beaufort.
- Thessaloniki: Scattered clouds increasing by afternoon, with local showers and possible mountain thunderstorms. Temperatures will range from 11°C to 24°C.
- Macedonia and Thrace: Cloudy in Macedonia with afternoon showers and mountain storms; Thrace will see brief cloud cover. Highs up to 25°C.
- Ionian Islands, Epirus, Western Sterea, Western Peloponnese: Partly cloudy with denser clouds and showers in mainland areas by afternoon. Temperatures between 11°C and 24°C.
- Eastern Sterea, Evia, Eastern Peloponnese: Scattered clouds thickening by afternoon, with showers possible in mountainous areas. Highs up to 24°C.
- Cyclades and Crete: Mostly clear with sparse clouds, thickening in the Cyclades by late evening. Temperatures between 14°C and 24°C.
- Eastern Aegean Islands and Dodecanese: Generally clear with light clouds. Highs up to 24°C.
National Forecast for Wednesday
According to the National Meteorological Service (EMY), eastern islands will enjoy mostly clear skies, while mainland areas will see denser clouds by midday, bringing localised showers and isolated mountain thunderstorms. Winds will blow from the north at 3-5 Beaufort, shifting to westerly-northwesterly in southern seas. Temperatures will peak at 23-24°C, with some mainland areas hitting 25°C.
As Greece prepares for this cold snap, residents are advised to brace for wet and chilly conditions, a stark contrast to the usual spring warmth.