According to meteo.gr of the National Observatory of Athens, the bad weather that will affect the country on the weekend of 20-21/01 is in progress. Heavy snowfall has already begun in northern Greece with Florina dressed in white.

According to the latest prognostic data, its main characteristics will be:

  • the rapid drop in temperature of the order of 10-12 degrees Celsius
  • the rains in much of the country
  • snowfalls, even in low-altitude areas of the northern country
  • the storms in the Southeast Aegean
  • the stormy winds in the Aegean

See the course of the bad weather

More specifically, the temperature will drop rapidly today Saturday 20/01 in the northern and eastern continental parts of the country as well as in the Northern Aegean and on Sunday 21/01 in the rest of the country. The drop will exceed 10 degrees Celsius in places.

The rainfall that occurs from the early hours of Saturday 20/01 in the northwest and the north will gradually extend to the central, eastern and southeastern continental regions, the Ionian and the Central and Northern Aegean. At the same time, snowfalls will occur in the mountains of Macedonia and Thrace, which will gradually spread to the mountainous and semi-mountainous areas of Epirus, Thessaly and Sterea, as well as in low-altitude areas of Macedonia and Thrace, until the evening hours. On the night of Saturday 20/01 to Sunday 21/01, snowfall is also expected in the mountains of Eastern Peloponnese.

After Sunday morning the phenomena will gradually be limited to the highlands of Epirus, the Central and Southern continents, the Aegean and the South Ionian. Storms will occur from midday in Eastern Crete and the Southern Dodecanese. A weakening of the phenomena is expected from the afternoon, with the exception of the Dodecanese and Crete where the rains and storms will continue.

Maps 1 and 2 show the rain (shades of green) and snow (shades of purple) expected during the afternoon and evening of Saturday 01/20.

Map 1. Rain (shades of green) and snow (shades of purple) expected Saturday afternoon 01/20

meteo

Map 2. Rain (shades of green) and snow (shades of purple) expected Saturday night 01/20
Map 3 shows the total amount of snowfall expected until the morning of Sunday 01/21.

meteo

Mandatory supply of chains in Thessaloniki

a notice in view of the bad weather was issued by the Thessaloniki Traffic Directorate, calling on the drivers of all vehicles to be equipped with anti-skid chains, while, according to a decision made, the city’s Ring Road will be closed from 2 p.m. for trucks and buses.

In detail, the announcement of the Traffic:

“It is announced that, in view of the imminent occurrence of adverse weather phenomena, according to a decision of the Thessaloniki Traffic Directorate:

– The traffic of all types of trucks with a maximum permissible weight of more than 1.5 tons, as well as all buses, is prohibited on the Thessaloniki Regional Road, from the height of Junction K-13 (St. Pavlos Hospital) to the height of Junction Lachanagora, of the territorial jurisdiction of the above Service, from 14:00 on Saturday (01-20-2024) until the weather phenomena subside.

Excluded from these traffic regulations are: emergency vehicles (E.K.A.B., P.Y. etc.), roadside assistance vehicles, vehicles transporting salt, snow removal machines

– It is prohibited to drive any type of vehicle that is not equipped with anti-skid chains or other similar anti-skid means, excluding vehicles with special tires (snow tires), those with a special marking of the “alpine” symbol and M+S characteristic.

The said measure is valid from 14:00 on Saturday (20-01-2024) and concerns all vehicles moving on the entire road network of the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki (Prefecture of Thessaloniki)”.