File photo.
Greece faces a stretch of unsettled weather before a gradual return to summer sunshine over the weekend, according to forecasts.
Thursday will begin with mostly clear skies and sparse cloud cover, but instability will build through the afternoon, producing showers and isolated thunderstorms over inland mountainous areas. Eastern Macedonia and parts of the Peloponnese face a greater risk of intense storms, with the possibility of hail. Temperatures will reach 33-35 degrees Celsius across most of the country.
The more significant weather event arrives Friday, when an upper-atmosphere disturbance pushes colder air masses into the Balkans and Greece, triggering locally severe storms with hail and strong wind gusts, particularly across central and northern regions, state broadcaster ERT reported. Athens is expected to see local thunderstorms from midday onward, intensifying through the afternoon, especially near Mount Parnitha.
Conditions will improve Saturday and Sunday, bringing largely clear skies, with temperatures rebounding to 30-32C. Summer will return in full swing on Monday, with highs again reaching 34-35C.
