Greece prepares for first heatwave of the year

Greece is preparing for its first heatwave of the year after avoiding the record heat that affected much of Europe in June.

Meteorologist Theodoros Kolydas said Sunday on Facebook that maximum temperatures in Thessaly, parts of the Peloponnese and the greater Athens area may be around or above 40C, or 104F. He said temperatures were likely to fall on Thursday.

Kolydas said data for Monday to Wednesday showed a heat episode with heatwave characteristics, mainly over the mainland, rather than a simple warm spell.

Weather website meteo.gr said Saturday that Greece had recorded its first measurement above 40C for the season in the northwestern town of Konitsa, where the temperature reached 40.4C.

Greece's national weather service, EMY, forecast temperatures of 40C to 41C on Monday and Tuesday in mainland Greece.

The report said it is unusual for temperatures in Greece to rise so late in July. Rain spells in June and strong winds this month had kept heatwaves away this season, while heat records were broken across much of Europe.

Meteo.gr said the first 40-degree recording of the season was the third most delayed since 2011, after July 20 in 2015 and July 30 in 2013.