From barometric low “Xenophon” to Medicane “Zorbas.” Stormy winds blowing with intensity 9 and 10 Beaufort are sweeping across Greece and ferries remained docked for second consecutive day on Thursday.
On several islands schools remained closed on Thursday and will remain closed also on Friday as Xenophon will keep sweeping across Greece and Mediterranean Cyclone, Medicane , is expected to strike the South Ionian Sea and West Greece on Friday.
The Regional Government in Attica has ordered the closure of all primary and secondary education schools in the broader Attica region on Friday, Sept 28th 2018. Kindergartens will remain closed in Athens and Piraeus.
Schools will be closed also on the islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia on Friday.
Attica is one of the regions mostly hit by the strong winds that have brought trees down and cut power in several neighborhoods.
Fallen trees outside kindergarten in Metamorfosi, West Athens.
From 6 am Sept 27 until 2 pm Sept 27, the Fire Service has received more than 520 calls to remove trees and other objects that were swept away by the winds.
Medicane Warning
The National Observatory in Athens has issued a warning about the Mediterranean Cyclone, Medicane.
A Medicane, depriving from Mediterranean and Hurricane, occurs when Sea Surface Temperature is higher than normal, between 2 and 4 Kelvin higher.
Due to high unpredictability of Medicanes, there are frequent updates by the meteorological service.
According to current data available the Medicane will started to be formed in South Ionian Sea already on Thursday night, September 27th 2018.
However, due to high unpredictability the Medicane path and its force may change in the next three days.
A general forecast is that Medicane “Zorbas” will move from West to the East, starting on early Friday, Sept 28 and continue to move eastwards until Sunday evening, Sept 30.
Wind force is forecast to be up to 12 Beaufort with torrential rainfalls.
Forecast on Thursday afternoon: Medicane speed and wind direction for early Friday, Sept 28 2018.
Based on the current data available on Thursday, Sept 27, Medicane “Zorbas” will move from West to the East.
It is expected to strike large parts of Peloponnese and Crete by early Saturday, Sept 29.
It will affect Attica, Evia and the Cyclades islands in Central Aegean Sea.
It will move further eastwards to the islands of the Eastern Aegean Sea and possibly affect even the Dodecanese by early Sunday, Sept 30, 2018.
As the prediction of Medicanes is difficult, especially with regards to the path they follow, the National Observatory said it will be continuously issuing updated information.
Meteorologists said on television channels that cyclones are ‘fueled’ in the sea and weaken when they reach mainland.
Medicane “Zorbas” is forecast to bring heavy rainfalls and gale force winds of up to 12 Beaufort.
National Meteorological Service Warning
Extreme Weather Phenomena
Thursday, Sept 27
Stormy North-East wind 7 – 9 Beaufort in North Ionian Sea and East mainland and up to 10 Beaufort locally in the Aegean Sea and South Ionian Sea. Gradual weakening by night, however, 9-10 B in the south seas like the South Ionian and the Kythira sea.
Rainfalls in the South, temporary thunderstorms in East and South Peloponnese, South Ionian Sea and Crete.
Friday, Sept 28
Rainfalls and thunderstorms locally very strong in South Ionian, Peloponnese – mainly East and South – and Crete. Gradually the phenomena will extend to Cyclades, East Sterea, Attica and Evia.
Wind intensity: 6-7 Beaufort in the Aegean, 8B in the morning and 8-9 B in Ionian and locally 10 B in the morning.
According to data available on Thursday:
Saturday, Sept 28
Extreme weather phenomena will continue with the same features of locally very strong rainfalls and thunderstorms in South Ionian, Peloponnese, Sterea, Evia, East Greece and the islands.
South winds up to 8-9 Beaufort in Ionian Sea.
Sunday, Sept 30
Same extreme weather phenomena will affect Central and South Greece, with south winds up to 9-10 B in the south seas.
According to meteo service, Sahara Dust is expected in Crete on Friday afternoon with mud rain falls.
The Civil Protection urges citizens to comply with simple safety measures due to the gale winds.
- Secure items that can fall or been swept away.
- Do not walk under big trees of items that would fall due to the winds.
- Refrain from activities at the beach and in the sea.
- Secure well doors and windows.
On top of all these, an earthquake 5.1R occurred on Thursday morning in the sea area off south Peloponnese. No damages or injuries were reported.
