Mediterranean turning into real hotspot

It used to be that, in Greek summers, temperatures, with few exceptions, used to peak at around 33 degrees Celsius (92F), ideal for beachgoers and other holidaymakers, domestic and foreign.

But heatwaves have become increasingly frequent since the late 1950s and this trend is accelerating.

The answer is simple, even if many persist in denying it: climate change, caused by human activity.

Climate scientists call the Mediterranean a "hotspot" because, in addition to rising temperatures, it will be among the few places on Earth where it will get drier - significantly so - as well as warmer. 

As far as Athens is concerned, while there are fewer rainy days, rainfall has increased. Much of the rain now falls in sudden downpours that cause floods.

While there is no universally acceptable definition of a heatwave, Greece's National Meteorological Service...