Greece hit by extreme weather

Greece is experiencing extreme temperature swings, with a record heat wave for March followed by frost and snowfall. Last week, the city of Livadia (central Greece) reached 31.4°C, the highest temperature ever recorded in March in Greece, according to Meteo.gr, the service of the National Observatory in Athens.

Meteorologists stressed that the high temperatures across the country were more characteristic of May than the beginning of spring. "We have such temperatures so early in March!" meteorologist Panagiotis Giannopoulos told ERT television. Experts attribute the phenomenon to a cloud of Saharan dust present in the atmosphere. Due to the high risk of wildfires, authorities have imposed a nationwide ban on lighting fires in rural areas until March 18.

• From +31°C to snowfall

Starting today, temperatures will drop sharply and the weather will change radically. A cold air mass will bring rain and snowfall across the country. In Athens, temperatures will drop from 27°C to just 11°C. In the north of the country (Macedonia), where 27°C was recorded, frost could affect flowering orchards, causing damage to the agricultural sector.

• Greece, affected by climate change

The country is feeling the full effects of climate change. 2023 brought the hottest summer ever recorded in Greece. The winter of 2023-2024 was the mildest in history, according to Meteo.gr. These weather extremes demonstrate an alarming trend for the region's climate, with increasingly frequent and severe episodes of heat, drought and extreme weather phenomena.