Greece expects long-awaited rainfall after months of heat
According to the Greek meteorological service, this June is the rainiest since 2006. However, an unfavorable weather front is finally expected to bring the long-awaited rain. Starting from Thursday, it will rain in many parts of the country. Some regions are even forecasted to experience strong thunderstorms and even hail. By Friday, the rain is expected to have passed, and the sun will shine again in all of Greece starting from the weekend.
The rain is desperately needed to fill up water reservoirs and cisterns after a long drought and to water the parched vegetation. On average, Athens has received 21 millimeters of rainfall in June since 2006. In the past five weeks, however, it remained dry there. Other regions, such as the area around the city of Sparta on the Peloponnese peninsula, where an average of 35 millimeters of rain usually falls, have also been affected.
Despite the joy over the upcoming rain, there is also concern. The forecasted thunderstorms could cause new forest fires if lightning strikes over dry areas without or with only little rainfall. A lightning strike in the center of the northern Greek city of Kozani on Tuesday started a fire. In other areas, there is fear of flooding if it rains heavily and the dry soil cannot absorb the water.
The heat wave that Greece has been experiencing will likely break on Thursday, as precipitation is forecasted to commence. This much-needed rain could potentially exacerbate existing forest fire risks, given the dry conditions and the possibility of thunderstorms bringing lightning.
