The Greek National Meteorological Service has issued an emergency weather bulletin warning of intense rainfall, thunderstorms and possible hailstorms, particularly in coastal and island regions, as a powerful low-pressure system moves eastward from the central Mediterranean.
Meteorologist Dimitris Ziakopoulos warned that the approaching system could produce potentially dangerous conditions, with winds in the Aegean Sea reaching force 9 on the Beaufort scale, equivalent to roughly 75 to 88 kilometers an hour (47 to 55 miles an hour).
The storm is expected to affect nearly the entire country Tuesday, October 13, before gradually weakening Wednesday.
Western Greece will experience some of the earliest severe conditions, with heavy rainfall forecast across the Ionian Islands, including Lefkada, Kefalonia and Zakynthos, as well as the western mainland and Peloponnese peninsula.
By Tuesday afternoon, the most intense storms are expected to spread toward central and eastern Greece, affecting the Halkidiki peninsula, the Sporades islands, eastern Thessaly and Evia.
Athens and the surrounding Attica region face heightened risks from late Tuesday afternoon through the night, when thunderstorms could intensify across the metropolitan area, home to roughly four million residents.
Forecasters have singled out Evia for particular attention because of the expected intensity and duration of the rainfall.
Crete, especially its western districts of Chania and Rethymno, is also expected to experience severe thunderstorms beginning Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, strengthening northeasterly winds could create hazardous maritime conditions across the northern Aegean, potentially affecting ferry services and other shipping operations.
Conditions are expected to improve Wednesday across western Greece and most of Macedonia in the north. However, heavy rain and thunderstorms could persist elsewhere before gradually subsiding.
Winds will remain strong, reaching force 6 to 8 across eastern Greece and locally force 9 in the Aegean. Temperatures are forecast to fall across much of the country.
The combination of prolonged rainfall, thunderstorms and powerful winds poses particular risks to coastal communities, island transportation and areas vulnerable to flash flooding.
