Greek authorities are bracing for an elevated wildfire risk this weekend as fierce "meltemi" summer winds, forecast to reach gale-force 8 on the Beaufort scale, sweep across the Aegean Sea, meteorologists are warning.
OPEN TV meteorologist Klearchos Marousakis said scattered mainland storms will retreat quickly, shifting attention entirely to the dangerous combination of high winds and dry conditions. The Cyclades face the most severe gusts at Beaufort 8, while Attica, Evia, the eastern Peloponnese and Crete will see winds reaching force 7.
"These persistent northern winds will cap temperatures in eastern Greece, but they drastically elevate the threat of ignition and rapid wildfire spread," Mr. Marousakis said.
In Athens and the wider Attica region, clear skies and temperatures of 30 to 32 degrees Celsius will combine with harsh northern gusts, prompting emergency fire service readiness. Thessaloniki will see gusts up to Beaufort 6 alongside brief afternoon showers clearing by evening.
The western mainland, western Peloponnese and southern Crete will escape the meltemi's cooling effect entirely, with temperatures climbing to 35 degrees Celsius.
Mr. Marousakis said the pattern will dominate Greek weather through early next week, with mainland instability confined to brief, isolated mountain showers in the north.
The rest of the country will remain dry, windy and under heightened fire alert — conditions that have become an annual summer hazard as Greece continues to grapple with increasingly severe and frequent wildfires linked to rising regional temperatures.