Greece is emerging from an unseasonal late-spring cold snap, with temperatures set to climb steadily through the week and summer-like conditions expected to arrive across much of the country by the weekend.
Meteorologist Sakis Arnaoutoglou said the instability and low temperatures that disrupted the May Day long weekend — bringing localized snowfall to mountainous regions and gale-force winds to the Aegean — will give way from Monday to sunshine, weakening winds and a sustained rise in the mercury.
Mr. Arnaoutoglou forecast temperatures reaching up to 22 degrees Celsius on the mainland and the Ionian islands on Monday, marking the start of a warming trend that will intensify through the week.
By May 7, a high-pressure system is expected to establish itself across the country, bringing warm, calm and largely cloudless conditions.
Some residual instability lingers Monday in Crete and the Dodecanese, where clouds and isolated showers are clearing through the day. Northerly winds of up to force 8 persist in the eastern Aegean but are expected to ease.
The forecast improvement comes as a relief for the tourism and hospitality sectors, which saw ferry disruptions and outdoor events curtailed over the May Day weekend.
Greece is entering its peak pre-summer travel period, with visitor numbers already running significantly ahead of last year following a 58 percent surge in tourism revenues in January and strong forward booking data through the spring.