Weather service warns of downpours and hailstorms

A sticky heatwave that has gripped Greece since the start of the week will give way to thunderstorms and hail starting on Saturday night in northern parts, the national weather service, HNMS, warned on Friday.

Macedonia, Epirus, the western mainland, the islands of the Ionian and later Thessaly, the Sporades islands and the western Peloponnese should brace on Sunday for gale-force winds and storms. Hail is also in the cards, the HNMS said.

The wet front will start spreading east on Sunday night so that by Monday most parts of the country will see a dramatic shift in conditions, which will, however, also signal a drop in temperatures from their current level in the mid- to high 30 Celsius range to the high 20s and low 30s.