Greek Civil Protection authorities have placed Crete and the eastern Aegean islands of Chios, Samos and Ikaria under a Red Code wildfire alert for Saturday, as gale-force winds and temperatures nearing 39°C raised the risk of new fires nationwide.
The Fire Risk Forecast team at the General Secretariat for Civil Protection classified the affected regions as facing "Very High" fire danger, the second-highest risk category, ahead of the weekend.
Former National Meteorological Service director Theodoris Kolydas said in an online post that the meltemi winds, seasonal northerly gusts common in Greek summers, will intensify particularly Sunday and Monday, reaching 7 to 8 on the Beaufort scale in parts of the Aegean and gradually affecting mainland areas including Attica, Evia and much of the Peloponnese.
According to Meteo, Saturday will bring generally sunny skies with scattered clouds over mountainous areas and a chance of localized showers in Epirus, Macedonia and the Peloponnese.
Temperatures will range from 22°C to 39°C in northern Greece, reaching up to 39°C in Thessaly, with highs of 38°C in Athens and 39°C in Thessaloniki. Winds in the Aegean will blow from the north-northwest at 4-5 Beaufort, locally reaching 6.
Sunday is expected to bring mostly clear skies with afternoon cloud buildup over the mainland's interior, bringing localized rain or storms in western and northern mountain areas, as winds strengthen to 6-7 Beaufort in the Aegean, locally reaching 8.
Temperatures will hold steady in the mid-to-high 30s Celsius.
Similar conditions are forecast for Monday, with winds again reaching up to 8 Beaufort in parts of the Aegean.