No snow for the UK this week but in Greece and across the Greek Islands there is a blanket of white with more to come and a bitter frost as winds pickup thanks to 'Elpis'.
Are you feeling the effects of January, these gloomy skies, still plenty of uncertainty if trying to make plans yet feeling in need of a holiday? If you had taken a gamble and booked a winter break to the Greek Islands after Christmas, then winter would be what you got.
It’s been snowing in Greece and across the islands. More heavy snow is forecast for Athens on Monday and many well known beaches have been covered with snow.
Whilst winter snow is expected for the mainland mountainous areas, it is most unusual for the islands. The eastern Mediterranean has seen cold, wintry conditions with lying snow for Greece, Mykonos and Crete. The weather event has been given the name 'Elpis' by the Greek National Met Service with a progression of weather fronts bringing cold air and snowfall. And more ice and snow are expected as a vicious wind picks up adding to the freeze.
With low pressure over Turkey and our high pressure reaching into central Europe, there has been a northerly flow in-between pulling down this much colder air. You can see that on the colour image (showing potential equivalent Temp 850hPa Theta E) a ribbon of purple and white, showing the coldest air. This continues through until Tuesday and then gets cut off.
From the Greek National Met service
Extraordinary Bulletin of Dangerous Weather Phenomena -The main features will be the very low temperatures, the heavy snowfall even in the lowlands of the north and of eastern Greece as well as in the Aegean islands. Stormy Winds: Monday and Tuesday will prevail in eastern Greece and mainly in the Aegean region. North winds of 8 to 9 on the Beaufort scale.
From Monday to Wednesday the temperatures will be very low, and their maximum values e2808be2808bwill not exceed 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. At the same time the frost will be strong.
Macedonia has low temperature and strong wind warnings with a severe frost forecast. Mykonos, Tinos, Naxos, all the Cyclades covered in snow including Syros, Andros, Paros as well. Crete and Limnos have snowstorms.
As the UK sits under high pressure with more dry weather forecast this week (away from NE Scotland). It does feel cold and damp under the grey cloud especially in a breeze, but it remains unlike proper winter here. No signs of deep snow this week (maybe a change for the start of next week and the new month) and even nature is getting on with preparations for spring.
By midweek a more westerly flow from the Atlantic will reach right across Europe. Although it remains cold by night for Greece, daytime temperatures will recover with sunshine by Friday.
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