Sawt Falasteen - Greece rides a weather 'rollercoaster'

The mercury soared to 33.7 degrees Celsius (92.66 Fahrenheit) on Sunday in Lasithi, in Crete -- the highest-ever recorded for March, according to the Athens National Observatory.

On Saturday the highest temperature was recorded in central Greece, in the town of Livadia, of 31.4 degrees Celsius.

Across the country, other weather stations registered temperatures more typical of balmy May than the closing days of winter.

"The very high maximum temperatures recorded during the last four days (from Wednesday to Saturday) in the country, were record highs for the month of March in many areas," Meteo.gr said on Saturday.

Following a surge of wildfires, a nationwide ban on burning material on rural properties is in effect until March 18.

"To have such temperatures so early in March, this has never happened before," meteorologist Panagiotis Giannopoulos told ERT television.

The unusual spike was attributed to a blanket of Saharan dust in the air.

This winter is listed as the 13th warmest in Greece. Last year's, in 2023-2024, remains the warmest on record.

Inhabitants in Greece will have to brace for plunging temperatures from Tuesday, though, forecasters said.

"A cold air mass on Tuesday will give showers and snow all over the country," Giannopoulos said.

"In Athens, where today we have 27 degrees the maximum temperature will be 11 degrees. This is a rollercoaster," he added.

The abrupt change is particularly problematic for the agricultural sector.

In Greece's region of northern Macedonia -- which saw temperatures of 27C over the weekend -- the expected frost is set to cause severe damage to fruit trees that are in full bloom.

Greece has become a climate change hotspot. It had its hottest summer and warmest winter on record in 2024, according to data from the Meteo.gr network.

The year brought unprecedented temperatures, extreme rainfall and a notable frequency of impactful weather events.

Thirty-one significant weather incidents disrupted daily life in 2023, well above the 2000-2024 average, while nine weather-related deaths were registered.

S.Barghouti--SF-PST