Heavy rain and storms are expected across Greece from Sunday evening, according to an emergency weather warning issued on Saturday by the Greek National Meteorological Service (EMY).
The stormy weather is forecast to sweep the country, starting in the west, and spreading to the central and eastern mainland, the Cyclades islands and Crete and, lastly, the Eastern Aegean and Dodecanese Islands.
The bad weather will be accompanied by near-gale-force winds of up to 8 Beaufort and possibly hail.
The phenomena will last until the early morning hours of Tuesday.
As per usual, the Hellenic Fire Service is in operational readiness and is advising citizens to follow safety instructions to avoid getting into danger during the bad weather.
⚠ Έκτακτο Δελτίο Επιδείνωσης #καιρός #EMY
🗓 Επιδείνωση του καιρού από τις βραδινές ώρες της #Κυριακής μέχρι και τα ξημερώματα της #Τρίτης με ⛈ ισχυρές βροχές και καταιγίδες
🚒 Επιχειρησιακή ετοιμότητα του Πυροσβεστικού Σώματος σύμφωνα με το έκτακτο δελτίο Επιδείνωσης Καιρού… pic.twitter.com/2Jiuylv7b6— Πυροσβεστικό Σώμα (@pyrosvestiki) February 24, 2024
Stormy weather to batter mainland and islands
The rain will start in the Ionian islands, west and south Peloponnese and western Crete on Sunday night, meteorologists have warned.
By Monday morning, the bad weather is expected to spread to central Macedonia, Thessaly, eastern Central Greece (including briefly in Attica), the Cyclades Islands and mainly southern Crete.
It will also briefly affect western Macedonia and the Peloponnese, with the wet weather abating in the afternoon, while the islands of the eastern Aegean south of Chios, and the Dodecanese, will start to be affected just before noon.
The rain and storms are forecast to continue in southern parts of the Dodecanese islands until noon on Tuesday.
Marine warnings were also issued by EMY.
Hellenic Fire Service and Police ready to assist
The operational plan of the Hellenic Fire Service is being implemented to deal with risks from the occurrence of floods and their accompanying phenomena, while the local departments of the areas to be affected have been placed in a state of increased readiness and further escalation if required, in order to deal immediately with any problems caused by the severe weather phenomena.
The General Secretariat of Civil Protection of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection has warned the competent government agencies, as well as the regions and municipalities of the country, to be on increased civil protection readiness.
They recommend that citizens be particularly careful, taking measures to protect themselves from risks arising from the heavy rainfall, storms and gale-force winds.
Latest information about the prevailing situation and the passability of the road network in case of inflow of flood waters or due to snowfall and frost, will be posted on the website of the Hellenic Police.
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