Wildfires hit outskirts of Athens and southern Greece

Greek firefighters have been battling large wildfires near Athens and on the Peloponnese peninsula amid strong winds and high temperatures. Dozens of people have been evacuated.

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Firefighters battle large blaze in Greece; villages evacuated, scores trapped on beach

Firefighters assisted by water-dropping planes and helicopters are battling a large forest fire in southern Greece, with authorities evacuating three villages and the coast guard sending vessels to rescue scores of people trapped on a beach.

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Firefighters battle large forest fire in southern Greece

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Firefighters assisted by water-dropping planes and helicopters are battling a large forest fire in southern Greece, with authorities evacuating three villages and the coast guard sending vessels to rescue scores of people trapped on a beach.

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UK weather: Britain to be hotter than Greece as forecasters predict temperatures of up to 30C

As summer officially starts on Monday, high pressure and continental air are set to drift in over the UK sparking a heatwave which is expected to last for ...

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Meteorologists warn of bad weather front with storms, rain and hail (May 26-30/2015)

Have been wondering why there is no sun outside your Greek window? The answer is simple. A bad weather front with rain, storm and hail is about to hit Greece. Meteorologists warn of extreme weather phenomena with strong winds up to 7 Beaufort in the Aegean sea and loads of […]

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Bad weather expected across Greece

Heavy rain, storms and hail were expected in several parts of the country late on Tuesday, with bad weather conditions persisting through early Friday, the Hellenic National Meteorological Service reported on Tuesday.

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Hikers Trapped in Samaria Gorge, Crete, Due to Extreme Weather

Several hikers were trapped in the Samaria gorge in Crete on Tuesday when the river that crosses the National Park overflowed, making it impossible and dangerous to cross the gorge. The gorge guards were immediately notified and mobilized in order to help the trapped hikers, with the help of nearby village residents and Greek firemen. After a while, they were able to reach the hikers and lead them to safety in the Samaria settlement, where they will stay overnight. According to the Head of the Chania Region Civil Protection, Tasos Kouroupakis, all the hikers are in good health and safe. As soon as the weather clears, they will be led out of the gorge. The Forest Directorate of Chania announced that the extreme weather phenomena damaged the crossing infrastructure, as well as the reception area, therefore the gorge will remain closed on Wednesday, May 13, so the location can be checked and restored.

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Hikers Trapped in Samaria Gorge, Crete, Due to Extreme Weather

Several hikers were trapped in the Samaria gorge in Crete on Tuesday when the river that crosses the National Park overflowed, making it impossible and dangerous to cross the gorge. The gorge guards were immediately notified and mobilized in order to help the trapped hikers, with the help of nearby village residents and Greek firemen. After a while, they were able to reach the hikers and lead them to safety in the Samaria settlement, where they will stay overnight. According to the Head of the Chania Region Civil Protection, Tasos Kouroupakis, all the hikers are in good health and safe. As soon as the weather clears, they will be led out of the gorge. The Forest Directorate of Chania announced that the extreme weather phenomena damaged the crossing infrastructure, as well as the reception area, therefore the gorge will remain closed on Wednesday, May 13, so the location can be checked and restored.

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UK weather: Britain set to be hotter than Greece but be warned

Britain is expected to be hotter than Greece tomorrow thanks to a hot air 'plume' straight out of Africa. The 1,000-mile wide weather front will see ...

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UK weather: Britain hotter than Greece as 1000-mile wide African hot air plume brings 4-day warm ...

Britain will be hotter than Zakynthos, Greece, which will be 21C and will bring temperatures close to the UK's hottest day of the year, which reached ...

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Ancient Greeks and Their Weather Knowledge

Ancient Greeks, as well as other civilizations of that time, often attributed weather changes and natural phenomena to the gods. For example, lightning was a way for Zeus to show his anger, just as Thor in ancient Nordic mythology. Ancient Greek mythology is an example of how early civilizations tried to explain the unexplainable at the time forces of nature, weather and astronomy. Many ancient Greek gods and goddesses were elements of weather and seasons personified. Ancient Greeks also believed in Poseidon, god of sea and earthquakes, Helios, god of sun, Selene, goddess of moon, Hephaestus, god of volcanoes, Chione, goddess of snow, Zeus, king of all gods and god of sky, thunder, lightning and rain. All occurrences of favorable or poor weather were thought to be a direct result of godly intervention. However, thanks to their continuous observation of nature, ancient Greeks had a great understanding of weather and climate in general. It may not have been as advanced as modern science but their basic knowledge helped them to better understand weather changes and find ways to benefit from them. The word “climate” stems from the Greek word “klima” meaning inclination and referring to the climate conditions created by the Sun’s angle. Moreover, ancient Greeks invented the term “meteorology,” the study of atmospheric disturbances. Aristotle is considered the founder of meteorology. He tried to explain the weather through the interaction of the four elements: earth, fire, air, and water. Aristotle’s student Theophrastus produced the first book on weather signs, listing observations used to forecast weather, many of which are still used to this day. In ancient Greece people used their knowledge to their advantage, focusing on the air’s movement, commonly known as wind, as well as the significance of the Sun and Moon positions in the sky in order to forecast phenomena such as tides and improve everyday tasks involving agriculture or sailing.

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Could Greece replace the Euro this weekend?

Despite being under administration by the EU, the ECB and the IMF for years, Greece today has 75% more debt and 25% lower GDP than it had in ...

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Greece hit by bad weather on Thursday

Heavy rain, low temperatures, strong winds and snowfall in mountainous areas were being observed across Greece on Thursday, as the country prepared for the Greek Orthodox Easter weekend.

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Fresh Snow at Ski Resorts in Northern Greece

The temperature drop in Central and Western Macedonia, Greece, has brought snow at Kaimaktsalan and Pisoderi ski resorts while light snow has also fallen at the ski resort of Vassilitsa, Grevena prefecture. 3-5 Pigadia ski resort in Naoussa will be open throughout the Holy Week and Easter, provided that weather conditions allow, while Vassilitsa resort will be open in Easter and throughout the holidays. Falakro ski center will close on Holy Wednesday and Kaimaktsalan will operate until April 14. (source: ana-mpa)

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Ferry stuck in Greece

A passengership that grounded on Wednesday night at a Greek port is still stuck with 227 people on board. Due to severe weather conditions, the ...

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Weather on Sunday: Rain and showers

Temperatures decrease around Greece on Sunday

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Weather Conditions Worsen in Attica, Greece

People in Attica, Greece woke up to find their cars and yards covered in snow. Weather conditions across Greece are quickly taking a turn for the worse causing major problems both on land and sea. The areas of Parnitha and Penteli in Attica are covered in snow while several roads have been closed. Furthermore, ports across the country are facing a slight issue due to the extreme weather conditions and strong winds reaching up to 8 on the Beaufort scale. Several scheduled ferry trips have been cancelled in the ports of Rafina, and Agia Marina. Piraeus and Lavrio ports — the major Athens ports — are operating as usual. While the weather in western Greece is expected to clear, other parts of the country will experience rains, hail and snow especially in the regions. According to the Hellenic National Meteorological Service the cities that will be most affected by the weather over the next days are: Volos, Lamia, Kymi, Chalkida, Livadia, Thebes, Attica, Corinth, Nemea, Andros, Tinos, Naxos, Chania, Heraklion, Rethymnon and the Dodecanese islands. As of Thursday, the temperature in Attica, Greece is expected to fall below zero, reaching -2 degrees Celsius and the strong will continue reaching up to 7 on the Beaufort scale. Meanwhile, in Thessaloniki, northern Greece the wind will be significantly calmer, reaching 3-5 on the Beaufort scale while the temperature will range from -3 to 3 degrees Celsius.

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Greece blanketed by snow — Skiers’ delight!

Freezing temperatures are also forecast for much of the country on Wednesday

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Bad Weather Hits Greece with Snow and Low Temperatures

Snowfall and freezing temperatures have hampered traffic in several parts of the country as a result of the new wave of bad weather that has hit Greece as of early Monday. Snow chains are necessary in the region of Domokos in Fthiotida, central Greece, while the Lamia-Amfissa national motorway is open. The Elefsina-Thiva provincial road in the region of Mandra, as well as part of the Athens-Thiva old national motorway in the region of Fichthi-Agia Sotira, are closed due to heavy snow. Cars moving on Parnitha Avenue will need snow chains. Cars moving on Kalamata-Sparta national motorway, between 28 and 42km, need snow chains, while the civil protection mechanism is on alert to deal with the heavy snowfall expected in the region of the Peloponnese, southern Greece, later in the evening. In northern Greece, snow chains are necessary for cars using the road network in the administrative units of Kozani, Florina (except for the low altitude region of the municipality of Amynteo), Kastoria, Ioannina and the provincial road network in Halkidiki. Earlier in the day, two EasyJet flights from London and Berlin had to land at Athens’ International Airport instead of Thessaloniki due to bad visibility. A ban on ship departures for central and southeastern Aegean islands is in effect at the ports of Piraeus and Lavrio due to the strong winds blowing in the region, expected to reach speeds up to 9-10 Beaufort. (source: ana-mpa)

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Emergency shelters opened as temperatures drop

Municipal authorities in Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki and other cities around Greece on Monday night opened dozens of emergency shelters as temperatures across the country slid into the single digits

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