Weather: A brief break from the heat, with rain and strong winds

Greece will get a brief break from the heat on Thursday, Sept. 3, as temperatures ease slightly and local rain and thunderstorms develop over the mainland.

Clouds will build first in western and central Macedonia and Thessaly. During the afternoon, showers will spread to other mainland areas, except Thrace. Isolated thunderstorms are expected mainly in mountainous regions, while the weather should improve from the evening onward.

Most other parts of the country will remain generally clear. Northerly winds will reach 4 to 5 Beaufort in the west, locally 6 in the northern Ionian Sea. In the east, winds will reach 4 to 6 Beaufort and locally 7 in the Aegean. Temperatures will drop slightly, particularly in western and northern Greece. Attica is forecast to range from 25 to 34 degrees Celsius, while Thessaloniki will see 22 to 29 degrees.

Friday will bring temporarily increased cloud cover in eastern areas, spreading northward during the afternoon, with local rain or showers. Isolated thunderstorms are forecast in eastern Macedonia and the Peloponnese. Winds will remain northerly, and temperatures will fall slightly further.

Saturday is expected to be generally clear. Northerly winds will reach 3 to 5 Beaufort in the west and 5 to 7 in the east, with no major change in temperature.