“We will have to adapt to the news weather databecause everything shows that we are headed for new weather conditionslike the ones we have this year, which in a few years will become a norm”.

This he emphasizes while speaking to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, o Professor – President of the Physics Department of the University of Patras and Director of the Atmospheric Physics Laboratory, Andreas Kazantzidis, regarding the high temperatures recorded at the beginning of June in Greece.

At the same time, it explains why certain regions of the country are affected by heat waves, such as eastern Central Greece, Thessaly, eastern Peloponnese, etc.

The discomfort index

In particular, as Andreas Kazantzidis notes, “perhaps we should stop talking only about high temperatures, but also talk about more biometeorological data, such as the discomfort index for example” and adds:

“The discomfort index is not just about where the temperature is, but what the humidity is, what the solar radiation is, what the pollution levels are from African dust, which we’ve had a lot of this year, and how intense it is. the wind, which when it blows, has a soothing effect.

Based on what I mentioned above, high temperatures are not the only problem, because the discomfort caused by high temperatures is also related to other factors. After all, there is a whole branch called biometeorology, that is, the effect of weather conditions on the human body.

So maybe we should have a discussion about what the discomfort indicator is, that is, if for example it is in red, green or yellow and therefore the world should slowly start to be educated.”

Tropical nights and the burden on the human body

Also, Andreas Kazantzidis, notes that “the burden on the human body also has to do with the fact that high minimum temperatures are recorded during the night hours” and continues:

“Yes, during midday hours, when the temperatures are high, we all try to protect ourselves somewhat, but the important thing is how the temperature develops during the rest of the hours and especially at night.

That is, it is important that the temperature falls below 25 degrees Celsius at night, because when it exceeds them, then we are talking about the so-called tropical nights.

So when we have consistently high temperatures, i.e. 40 degrees during the day and 28 to 30 at night, then the burden on the human body is significant.”

At the same time, as he underlines, “the long-term effects of heat stress, according to statistics, have to do with diseases, such as cardiac problems, but even with deaths, for this reason we will have to adapt to the new data that are being formed”.

Weather forecasts should be focused on the regions

Regarding the fact that higher temperatures are recorded in the eastern part of the country, compared to the western part, Andreas Kazantzidis tells APE-MPE that “this has to do with the atmospheric circulation, which favors the warm air masses to move towards the eastern areas , however, at some other time the opposite will happen”.

He also mentions that “in cases of heatwaves, the coastal areas are in a better position, compared to the continental and especially the plain areas, for this reason there are some hot spots, so to speak, where the temperatures always rise too high, as are the regions, of Boeotiaher Larisaher Spartaof Argosetc., but also further north, such as the areas of the Giannitsa plain, and the Serres”.

“However, this, which is of particular importance” emphasizes the professor at APE – BEE, “is the fact that the meteorological forecasts and the instructions given should be a little more focused at the regional level and not to say that the whole country is on fire from the high temperatures”.

And this because, as he says, “citizens begin to think that the predictions are exaggerated, when they are not confirmed in the areas where they live”.

Regarding the fact that many fires are recorded in its areas Mainland Greeceher Eviaher Peloponneseher Of Western Greece and of the Ionian IslandsAndreas Kazantzidis notes: “There are areas where there are high winds and they are quite dry, since they receive less rain throughout the year.

At the same time, significant differences are always recorded in rainfall between the eastern and western sides of the country, separated by the mountain range of Pindos and the mountain line in the center of Peloponnese, i.e. from Letter even him Taygetus.

Therefore, the western side of the country receives the most rainfall and therefore has more moisture in the soil, unlike the eastern side, which is more vulnerable.

If now, this fact is combined with winds, which in August are usually the meltemias that blow from the Evros, where last year we had the big fires, and reach even Attica, then we can say that it is aggravating”.