Weather: Peak of heat wave with mercury touching 44 degrees Celsius

The mercury in the country is expected to soar to 44 degrees Celsius today and Thursday, while African dust levels will also be high, resulting in unbearable and dangerous traffic on the roads.

According to the weather forecast for the last few days, today will be a tough day as all parts of the country will experience the highest temperature in the last three days.

An illustrative example is the weather map with the expected temperature at 3pm today. As you can see, Evia is the champion with 44 degrees Celsius, followed by Crete and the Dodecanese with a maximum temperature of 42 degrees.

See map:

Impressive thermal camera footage

The images captured by the ERT thermal camera drone in the heat of the day are impressive.

The video below demonstrates the large temperature differences between vegetation and areas with cement and asphalt. Areas with trees and parks are significantly cooler, while urban areas, especially central areas with many buildings, are hotter, reinforcing the urban heat island effect.

We are all at risk of heat exhaustion

Doctors Mr. Theodora Saltopoulos and Mr. Theodoras Vassilakopoulos spoke to Mega about the dangerous cocktail of heat and African dust that makes conditions so difficult outside.

“We should not overestimate our abilities, especially in the hot season, we are all at risk, which includes heat exhaustion, heat shock, instability of gait, increased body temperature, muscle cramps, loss of consciousness. It depends on how much one can tolerate physical and other conditions, so always with you. We recommend staying watered and hydrated… Urban areas have added heat and African dust, which means an atmosphere with suspended particulates can cause an even bigger problem,” Ms. Saltopoulou pointed out.

“We don’t sunbathe”

Mr. Vasilakopoulos talked about our moments on the beach.

“Whether I’m in the sea, in the water or in the water with a hat on, I get cold, no problem. Contact with water obviously doesn’t cause us thermal stress. Water doesn’t take very high temperatures. It cools us but only when we’re inside. Big care, don’t put your head in the sea. , we have to put on a hat and go out to go home, we don’t sit in the sun at 12 o’clock and play racquets or sunbathe,” he insisted.

Best movie on Friday

An improvement in weather is expected in the evening and from the west-northwest on Friday, although conditions will continue to favor African dust transport.

West, Central and North will show significant drop in temperature. In more detail, the maximum value of temperature reaches 34 to 36 degrees in the northern continents, 36 to 38 degrees in the rest of the continents, and 39 degrees Celsius in the interior of Styria and the Peloponnese.

It ranges from 34 to 36 degrees Celsius in the island nation and 37 to 39 and 40 degrees Celsius in the eastern Aegean, Dodecanese and Crete islands.

Temperatures will drop further on Saturday

Temperatures are expected to drop further on Saturday and temporarily return to normal for the season. It ranges from 31 to 33 degrees in the continental areas and 36 degrees Celsius in the interior of Thessaly.

It ranges from 29 to 31°C in the island nation and 32 to 34°C in the South Dodecanese and Crete.

Winds will be from the North 4 to 6 and locally the Aegean 7 at Beaufort.