Southern winds are shifting westward, leading to clearer skies. However, eastern Macedonia, Thrace, and Lemnos are still expecting morning showers and strong thunderstorms, as reported by EMY.
Meteorologist Thodoris Kolydas shared on social media that wind speeds are decreasing, dust is dissipating, and conditions are projected to improve starting Saturday morning.
Another expert, Giorgos Tsatrafyllias, pointed out that high dust concentrations were recorded in Attica, Peloponnese, and Crete yesterday, exceeding 130 μg/m³—almost three times the acceptable limit. The Cyclades and Dodecanese also experienced elevated levels, surpassing 110 μg/m³ (nearly double the limit). He advised waiting until today for a decrease in dust intensity.
Strong Winds and Dust in Crete
Crete saw record high temperatures, strong winds, and significant dust levels on Friday. Wind gusts topped 100 km/h in Rethymno and Lassithi, with the maximum gust reaching 137 km/h in Finokalia, Lassithi. Airborne particles approached concentrations of 1000 μg/m³, marking one of the most severe dust events in recent memory.
A photo from Rethymno showcases the high dust levels, accompanied by a chart displaying the eight highest wind gusts recorded on May 16.
Forecast: Dust Will Decrease, Temperatures Will Rise
Specific details on dust levels in Crete indicate that the air quality station at Rethymno’s City Hall measured nearly 980 μg/m³ on Friday, while another station in Adelé recorded about 984 μg/m³. The dust is expected to begin clearing across Greece early Saturday.
Yesterday, high dust levels in Attica led to reduced visibility, with videos and photos capturing the dust cloud enveloping Athens.
Today’s Weather
Expect localized showers over the Eastern Aegean islands, along with brief rain and thunderstorms in the Ionian Islands and parts of the mainland, particularly in mountainous regions during the daytime. Dust levels will significantly decrease.
Temperatures will range from 5°C in Western Macedonia to 26°C in the southern regions. Winds will come from the west and northwest at 3-5 Beaufort on land, and locally up to 6 Beaufort in southern seas.
In Athens, expect partly cloudy skies with a slight chance of drizzle, winds from the west-northwest at 3-5 Beaufort, and temperatures between 18-26°C.
In Thessaloniki, rain will likely clear before dawn, with northwest winds at 3-4 Beaufort and temperatures ranging from 12-23°C.
Weather Outlook for Sunday (18/05)
The eastern Aegean islands can expect partly cloudy skies with local rain mainly in the northern areas during the morning. Other regions will be generally clear with some afternoon cloud cover that may lead to isolated mountain showers. Winds will blow from the west-northwest at 3-5 Beaufort, with local gusts up to 6 Beaufort in southern seas. Temperatures are expected to remain stable, similar to those on Saturday.
