Greece Weather Warning: Dense snowfalls, stormy winds, frost

Greece’s National Meteorological Service EMY warns of cold weather front “Barbara” that will hit the country with main features locally dense snowfalls even in lowland areas, freezing temperatures,stormy north winds of up to 8-9  Beaufort and frost.

Cold air masses will be  moving to the south from northern Europe and will reach Greece on Sunday, February 5, 2023.

Snow will initially fall in the north parts of Greece and will gradually reach central mainland and even the center and the south suburbs of capital Athens.

Snowfall forecast per 12 hours change Feb 4-7, 2023

Κακοκαιρία με το όνομα #BARBARA θα μας επηρεάσει από την Κυριακή. Κύρια χαρακτηριστικά οι χαμηλές θερμοκρασίες, ο ισχυρός παγετός, οι πυκνές χιονοπτώσεις ακόμα και σε πεδινές περιοχές της ανατολικής Ελλάδας, καθώς και οι βοριάδες 8 με 9 μποφόρ στα πελάγη.https://t.co/uuJyevyzpV pic.twitter.com/rNvaot5MyS

— Theodoros Kolydas (@KolydasT) February 3, 2023

EMY Weather Warning and areas affected:

Snowfalls

A) On Sunday, February 5, affected by snowfalls will be:

1. From the early hours of the morning the islands of the northern Aegean and until noon Thrace and Halkidiki.

2. Before midday the snowfall will spread further south, intensify and affect the Sporades islands, the eastern parts of Thessaly, Evia and eastern Sterea, especially Boeotia and Attica. Snowfall will occur even in the lowlands of these areas.

3. From the afternoon, snow will fall in the mountains – semi-mountains mainly of the central and northern Cyclades islands as well as Crete.

In Crete, the snowfall will be heavy at times.

4. Snow storms will occur mainly over the sea and coastal areas of the Aegean Sea.

B) On Monday, February 6: heavy snowfall at times will continue to occur on the northern Aegean islands, the Sporades, Evia, eastern Sterea, the Cyclades and Crete.

C) Especially for Attica, snowfall will occur from Sunday (05/02/2023) initially in the east and the north, which from the midday hours will extend to most of the prefecture, while from the afternoon it will intensify and it will snow in lowland areas. Snowfall will show a temporary lull overnight. However, from Monday morning the snowfall will intensify again throughout the prefecture.

D) On Tuesday, February 7: snowfall is expected to continue in eastern Greece from Thessaly and further south (rainy areas) as well as in the Cyclades and Crete, but with less intensity.

Low temperatures

From Sunday, February 5, a gradual drop in temperature from north to south is expected, of the order of 8 to 10 degrees Celsius.

Η πτώση της θερμοκρασίας από την Κυριακή και μετά είναι σημαντική , της τάξεως των 8 με 10 βαθμών Κελσίου , ενώ οι αποκλίσεις από τις κανονικές τιμές φτάνουν τους 8 περίπου βαθμούς . #Barbara @EMY_HNMS @GSCP_GR @News247gr @Starchannelnew1 pic.twitter.com/mGn9pVPnfp

— Theodoros Kolydas (@KolydasT) February 3, 2023

This will result in the prevalence of severe frost mainly in the continental areas, which will be total in places in the central and northern areas where minus temperatures will prevail throughout the day.

Stormy winds

From Sunday, Febr 5, at noon, stormy north-northeast winds of intensity 8 to 9 Beaufort will blow on the seas, Initially in the Ionian and later in the Aegean Sea.

The winds are forecast to weaken as of Tuesday, February 7.

*** Note that stormy winds affect sea traffic, therefore, contact local port authorities and travel agents, if you plan to travel by sea.

sources: EMY, meteo.grmaps

PS all Athenians now long for is to not be confronted with similar phenomena like on January 24, 2022, when the city was paralyzed as authorities were trying to figue out who’s in charge for main avenues and the ring Attiki odos had hundreds stranded in the snow.