The hottest day so far in Greece with 44.2 degrees

44.2 degrees was measured in Thebes on Friday, the hottest day in the current heat wave so far. Relaxation is not in sight until the beginning of the week.

Greece is at the height of the current heat wave – 87 weather stations in the country recorded highs of more than 40 degrees on Friday. The highest temperature of the year so far was 44.2 degrees in Thebes, about 50 kilometers northwest of Athens, the National Observatory announced on Saturday. Meteorologists didn’t expect the heat to drop over the weekend either.

On Saturday, civil defense and firefighters warned of the dangers of forest fires raging due to the severity of the drought. The Ministry of Environment and Energy has called for a reduction in the use of private cars because the exhaust gases in urban areas such as Athens and Thessaloniki pollute the air more in the heat. In addition, due to the increased risk of fire, caution is advised when handling fuels such as gasoline. OSE has announced that trains will be slowed down due to the high temperatures to ensure safety on the hot tracks.

The weather also affects some tourists and their vacation program: on Saturday, a number of the country’s archaeological sites will be closed again at noon – including the Acropolis in Athens. The last entry in the morning is until 11:30am, then it won’t open again until 5:30pm. On Friday morning, a tourist suffered a slight heatstroke while visiting the ancient landmark hill. In addition, people are encouraged to drink plenty of water and avoid strenuous physical exertion. According to Greek media, experts from the Athens Observatory expected relaxation only at the beginning of the week, with temperatures expected to rise again at the end of next week.