Greece heat warning as whole country placed under 39C weather alert

Greece is in the midst of a scorching heatwave that is baking the entire country. On Tuesday (July 22), widespread weather warnings were issued, with extremely high air temperature values predicted. According to the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, "high temperatures are forecast in our country for almost the entire week starting tomorrow Monday (21-7-2025)" and will "likely to end on Saturday (26-7-2025)."

The service continued that "the highest temperatures (maximum temperatures above 41 degrees) will be recorded from Tuesday (22-7-2025) onwards, in mainland Greece", with coastal areas only set to see temperatures two to four degrees lower. On Tuesday, the stunning holiday islands of Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos in the Ionian Sea are under orange weather alerts, as is Attiki, which includes the capital Athens, East Sterea and Evvoia, Thessalia, West and Central Macedonia and Western Thrace on the mainland as well as Crete, the North Eastern Aegean and Dodecanese Islands. Meanwhile, Epirus, West Sterea, West and East Peloponnese, the Cyclades archipelago and East Macedonia are under slightly lower yellow heat warnings.

The orange high-temperature warnings in place across much of the country read: " Extremely high air temperature values (during the day), expected to range between 37 and 39 degrees Celsius. BE PREPARED that high temperatures will lead to health risks amongst vulnerable people e.g. the elderly and very young.

"Listen to and act upon advice from the authorities."

The alert has been in place since 11am local time and will continue until 8pm.

The yellow high-temperature alert, meanwhile, warns of temperatures expected to range between 35 and 38C. This warning reads: "BE AWARE. Some health risks amongst vulnerable people e.g. the elderly and very young are possible," and is in place from 2pm to 8pm on Tuesday.

There will be little letup on Wednesday (July 23), however, as once again, the entire country faces weather warnings for high temperatures.

While much of western and mainland Greece will be under the slightly lower yellow warnings with temperatures predicted to remain between 35 and 38C between 2pm and 8pm, parts of the northwestern mainland and the entirety of the iconic holiday islands like Santorini, Mykonos and Rhodes in the Aegean Sea are under orange alerts.

According to the Hellenic National Meteorological Agency, temperatures are expected to be even higher than on Tuesday, "expected to range between 39 and 41 degrees Celsius," in East Macedonia and Western Thrace and between 37 and 39C on the islands. This warning will be in place from 11am until 8pm on Wednesday.

According to WXCharts maps generated on Tuesday, Greece is set to face temperatures of an unbearable 46C on Wednesday, with health officials warning of serious risks related to heat stress and heatstroke.