Heavy snow, strong northeasterly winds in the Aegean Sea, and heavy rainfall will impact Greece on Christmas Day.
This winter weather will persist throughout the holiday period, bringing locally heavy downpours, thunderstorms at sea and along the coast, gale-force northeasterly winds in central and northern parts of eastern Greece, and snowfall in mountainous and temporarily in semi-mountainous areas of the central and northern regions.
Christmas Day (Wednesday, December 25, 2024):
Heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast for the Sporades, central and northern Evia, the Dodecanese, and temporarily until midday in the southernmost parts of the Eastern Aegean (Samos - Ikaria region). From the afternoon onwards, these conditions will affect eastern Thessaly (Magnesia), eastern Sterea, southern Evia, and the western Cyclades.
Snowfall is expected in the mountainous mainland, the mountains of Evia and Crete, and locally in semi-mountainous areas of central and northern Greece. Heavy snowfall is anticipated from the afternoon in the mountains of eastern Macedonia and Thrace. Stormy northeasterly winds of 7 to 8 Beaufort will develop from the afternoon in Thrace, the Thracian region, the northeastern Aegean, and the Sporades.
Second Day of Christmas (Thursday, December 26, 2024):
Heavy rain is expected in eastern Thessaly (Magnesia), the Sporades, Evia, eastern Sterea (mainly Fthiotida - Viotia region), the Cyclades (mainly western and northern islands), and from midday in Attica and the eastern Peloponnese. Northeasterly winds of 8, and locally 9, Beaufort will affect the aforementioned areas, as well as Evia and the southern parts of Chalkidiki, from the morning onwards.
Snowfall:
Snowfall will occur on both December 25th and 26th in the mountainous mainland, the mountains of Evia and Crete, and locally in semi-mountainous areas of central and northern Greece. Heavy snowfall is expected from Christmas afternoon and into Thursday in the mountainous areas of eastern Macedonia and Thrace.
High Rainfall Totals:
Significant rainfall was recorded up to 3:00 PM on Tuesday in the prefecture of Chania, the islands of the Eastern Aegean, and the Dodecanese. Data from 527 automatic weather stations of the National Observatory of Athens/meteo.gr network recorded these amounts.
Mountain Snow:
Snowfall has been reported since early Tuesday morning in the mountains of Oiti, Gkiona, Vardousia, Parnassos, and Tymfristos. Snow has already fallen in the villages of Western Fokida, Kaloskopi, Panourgia, Mavrolithari, as well as in the mountains of Fthiotida above 1000m. Snow is also falling around the Parnassos ski resort. Early morning snow also dusted the Orthrios ridge without causing problems. Temperatures in the plains of Central Greece are currently between 9 and 11 degrees Celsius.
Friday, December 27th:
The weather is expected to improve in most areas, though gale-force northeasterly winds will continue in the Aegean and locally in the eastern mainland. The Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) will provide further details in regular and special weather bulletins and on its website.