Emergency bulletin from the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS) – Express storm with hail and lightning for 48 hours – Severe phenomena in the Northwest

Citizens have been informed that the weather will worsen starting from the western, central, and northern regions with local showers and thunderstorms today, Monday (19-08-24), and tomorrow, Tuesday (20-08-24). These storms will be accompanied locally by frequent lightning and hailstorms.

A few minutes after 12:00 PM, an emergency alert was sent via 112 to residents, warning them of severe weather in Ithaca.

More specifically:

Strong rains and thunderstorms are expected:

• Today, Monday (19-08-24): In the northern Ionian, Epirus, western Macedonia, and possibly in central Macedonia and western Thessaly.
• Tuesday (20-08-24): In Macedonia, Thrace, and possibly in Thessaly.

Those already in the northern-northwestern part of the country, in areas such as Kilkis, Thessaloniki, and Ioannina, have already witnessed the sudden weather change, with heavy rain, thunderstorms, and hail. Streets have turned into rivers, crops have been damaged, and the Fire Department has received dozens of calls for tree removals and water pumping.

The 112 Alert for Ithaca

The weather is changing, with showers and thunderstorms in the northwest. According to meteorological forecasts, weather instability is expected to extend to most areas of the country, in the morning in the northwest and gradually in the central, western and northern regions, where local showers will occur, while sporadic thunderstorms are expected in the northern Ionian, Epirus and northern regions.

The abrupt change in the weather was noted yesterday 18/8 by those who are in the north-northwestern part of the country and in areas such as Kilkis, Thessaloniki, Ioannina, where intense weather phenomena with rain, thunderstorms and hail.

Meteorologists, in their forecasts, spoke of intense lightning activity these days and, in particular, the first three days of the new week, until Thursday when temperatures will start to rise again. This is a setting that will last until Wednesday 21 August,affecting mainly the northern and north-western parts, such as Epirus, northern Ionian and Macedonia.

Minister of Civil Protection and Climate Change Vassilis Kikilias draws attention to the weather, noting that we need to be vigilant. A typical example of the change is that of the 44 fires that occurred yesterday, 10 were caused by lightning.

Σήμερα εκδηλώθηκαν 44 νέες #πυρκαγιές, εκ των οποίων τουλάχιστον 10 προκλήθηκαν από κεραυνούς σε μεγάλα υψόμετρα, δυσκολεύοντας πολύ την προσπάθεια κατάσβεσης. Ένα μεγάλο ευχαριστώ σε #πυροσβέστες, δασοκομάντος, εθελοντές, δασάρχες και αυτοδιοικητικούς, που για μία ακόμη φορά… pic.twitter.com/KdtJxqV0Dg

— Vassilis Kikilias (@Vkikilias) August 18, 2024

“Today (yesterday) there were 44 new fires, of which at least 10 were caused by lightning at high altitudes, making the firefighting effort very difficult. A big thank you to firefighters, foresters, volunteers, foresters and local government officials who once again gave their hearts and souls. Because in the coming days, weather phenomena with intense lightning activity are expected, we must be vigilant,” he wrote in X.

Map from meteo.gr shows that by 11:13 p.m. Sunday night, nearly 9,000 lightning strikes had occurred, with activity starting mostly in the early afternoon.

Heavy rain and hail caused several problems in the cities. Streets turned into rivers, crops were damaged and the fire department received dozens of calls for tree felling and water pumping while workers at food outlets tried to keep the water out of businesses. In fact, videos were posted on social media from Veroia, Kilkis, Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Giannitsa, Tyrnavos, Imathia, Kozani, Pella, Ioannina and Corinthia.

From Veria:

From Aravissos of Giannitsa:

From Yannena:

Kolydas: where it will rain

In a post, Thodoros Kolydas says:

Η ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΙΑΙΑ ΠΡΟΟΠΤΙΚΗ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΙΡΟΥ
Τη Δευτέρα θα έχουμε #βροχές και #καταιγίδες κυρίως μετά το μεσημέρι στο Ιόνιο, την Ήπειρο, τη Μακεδονία, τη Θεσσαλία, την Δυτική Στερεά και πιθανόν τα ορεινά της Πελοποννήσου Τα φαινόμενα στα Βορειοδυτικά πιθανώς θα είναι έντονα .
Την… pic.twitter.com/oSDxNyTXec

— Theodoros Kolydas (@KolydasT) August 18, 2024

The WEEKLY WEATHER FORECAST

On Monday we will have showers and thunderstorms mainly after noon in the Ionian Sea, Epirus, Macedonia, Thessaly, Western Sterea and possibly the mountains of the Peloponnese The phenomena in the Northwest will probably be intense.

On Tuesday, the unsettled weather will continue with northerly winds and local thunderstorms in the Ionian Sea and the mainland mainly in the afternoon and the phenomena locally in the Ionian Sea Central and North. Greece are likely to be intense. The temperature will show a drop .

On Wednesday, sporadic phenomena in almost all continental areas – but not intense – with a slight further drop in temperature in the east and south .

No significant rainfall is forecast for the weekend Thursday and Friday, with a gradual rise in temperature and strengthening winds to 6-7 Beaufort on Friday.

The weather next weekend will not change significantly.

THE WEEKLY WEATHER OUTLOOK
Monday will feature #rain and #thunderstorms mainly after noon in the Ionian Sea, Epirus, Macedonia, Thessaly, Western Sterea and possibly the mountains of the Peloponnese.
On… pic.twitter.com/oSDxNyTXec

– Theodoros Kolydas (@KolydasT) August 18, 2024

The weather today

Unsettled weather is expected in the North Ionian Sea with showers and occasional thunderstorms. In the rest of the country a few clouds are expected, which will become thicker during the warmer hours of the day on the mainland. Showers and thunderstorms will occur in several continental areas. The phenomena will be locally intense in the central and northern regions, where hail will occur.

The temperature will range in Western Macedonia from 15 to 32 degrees, in the rest of northern Greece from 16 to 35 degrees, in Thessaly from 17 to 36-38 degrees, in Epirus from 18 to 35 degrees, in the rest of the continental parts from 20 to 36-38 degrees, in the Ionian Islands from 22 to 34 degrees Celsius, in the Aegean islands and Crete from 22 to 33-35 degrees Celsius, while in the East Aegean islands the maximum temperatures will reach 36-37 degrees Celsius in some places.

In the eastern and southern parts of the Baltic Sea the temperatures will be in the region of 36-36 degrees Celsius.

In most parts of the Aegean Sea, winds will blow from the north with intensities of 3-4 and locally 5 Beaufort, while in the northwestern Aegean Sea southeastern winds will blow with intensities of up to 4 Beaufort. Southwest winds with intensities of 3-4 Beaufort will blow in the Ionian Sea.

FORECAST FOR TUESDAY 20-08-2024
Initially in the west, the northern mainland and gradually in the rest of the continental parts and the northwestern Aegean, clouds with local showers and mainly in the Ionian Sea and the northern mainland sporadic thunderstorms are forecast. The phenomena in the Ionian, Epirus and Macedonia will probably be intense at times. Late in the evening the phenomena will weaken in most areas and will be limited in the north.
In the rest of the country, generally clear weather is forecast.
Visibility in the west and south in the morning hours will be limited in places.
Winds in the southeast will blow west northwest at 3 to 5 Beaufort. In the rest of the country it will be variable 3 to 4 and only in the northern Ionian Sea it will blow south southeast up to 5 Beaufort, while gradually in the south it will turn to westerly 4 to 6 Beaufort.
The temperature will drop slightly in the northwest where it will not exceed 30 to 31 degrees Celsius. In the rest of the country it will reach 34 degrees Celsius and locally in the eastern and southern mainland, the islands of the eastern Aegean, the Dodecanese and Crete 36 to 37 degrees Celsius.

FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY 21-08-2024
In the Cyclades, the islands of the eastern Aegean and the Dodecanese, generally clear weather is forecast, with occasional clouds in the northernmost islands at noon and in the afternoon. In the rest of the country, partly cloudy with local rain. Isolated thunderstorms will occur in the north and during the midday-afternoon hours in the rest of the mainland and Crete. In the evening the weather will improve.
Visibility in the west will be limited in the morning hours.
Winds will blow west northwest 4 to 5 and in the sea locally 6 Beaufort, and only in the morning in the northeast will be northeast up to 5 Beaufort.
The temperature will not change significantly. It will reach in the northwest and the Cyclades 30 to 32 degrees Celsius and in the rest of the country 34 to 36 degrees Celsius.

FORECAST FOR THURSDAY 22-08-2024
Generally clear weather. In the midday and afternoon hours in the mainland will develop occasional clouds and local rain or isolated thunderstorms mainly in the mountains.
The winds will blow north-northwest 3 to 5 and in the Aegean Sea locally 6 Beaufort.
The temperature will rise slightly mainly in the mainland.

FORECAST FOR FRIDAY 23-08-2024
Generally clear weather, with occasional clouds in the midday and afternoon hours on the mainland, mainly in the mountains.
Winds will blow north-northwest 3 to 5 and in the Aegean Sea locally 6 Beaufort.
The temperature will not change significantly.

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