Greece Experiences its Hottest March in 15 Years

March 2024 saw Greece experiencing one of its hottest months since 2009, with central and southern regions particularly affected by the warmth. According to data from the National Observatory of Athens (NAO), gathered from 53 meteorological stations operating since 2010, the average maximum daily temperatures surpassed the decade-long average for almost the entire country.

Throughout March, many days recorded positive temperature deviations, making it the warmest March since 2010 for regions such as Thessaly, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, and the Aegean Islands (excluding Crete).

Thessaly and Central Greece witnessed the most significant positive temperature anomalies, with monthly averages soaring up to 2.0 °C above the seasonal norm. The Aegean Islands, including Crete, experienced slightly smaller deviations of +1.6 °C.

In Northern Greece, positive temperature anomalies persisted for the ninth consecutive month, with deviations exceeding +2°C in some instances since July 2023. Similar trends were observed in Crete, the Peloponnese, and the Aegean Islands-Dodecanese, albeit with slightly lower values than Northern Greece.

Temperature anomaly maps for March 2024 illustrate the deviations in average maximum temperatures across different geographical regions.

The last five days of March witnessed the highest positive deviations, reaching record values of up to +12 °C above the seasonal norm.

In Athens, the average monthly maximum temperature deviation stood at +1.8 °C, with 24 out of 31 days recording temperatures warmer than usual for the season.

Similarly, Thessaloniki experienced 25 days of temperatures exceeding the 2010-2019 average, with the average maximum temperature for the month being +1.5 ºC above normal.

Data from all 53 weather stations is represented in graphs illustrating deviation values.

(Source: To Vima)