Greek heatwave drags out as temperatures near 46C
by AFP Staff Writers
Athens (AFP) July 25, 2025

A week-long heatwave in Greece that began on Monday is now expected to last more than a week, the country's weather service said as temperatures on Friday neared 46C.

The National Observatory in Athens said the warmest temperature recorded was 45.8C in the Peloponnese region of Messinia.

In Athens, the highest temperature in parts of the capital was 42C, also recorded in the main port of Piraeus.

Officials once again modified the opening hours of the Acropolis, the country's top archaeological site, for the safety of visitors and staff.

The monument was shut from midday to 5:00 pm -- the hottest part of the day -- in line with usual safety rules.

The Greek weather agency EMY modified a warning note to reflect that temperatures would begin falling after Monday July 28, instead of on the weekend as it had previously reported.

Northern winds are expected to pick up later Friday, raising the risk of fires, EMY said.

A wildfire earlier this week destroyed more than 2,800 acres (1,130 hectares) of forest and grassland near the mountain village of Feneos in the Peloponnese.

It was apparently started by two workmen using welding equipment near a forest.

Over half of the area affected was a pine forest that cannot regenerate, the National Observatory said.

On Friday, a fire burning near the city of Kilkis in northern Greece forced the evacuation of a university, homes and businesses, the fire service said.

A high of 44C was expected in Greece on Saturday, with a maximum of 42C forecast in Athens, the agency said.

In neighbouring Albania, there were 10 active fires including one in Delvina, near the border with Greece.

Another fire in Kakavia, near the border crossing with Greece, was brought under control on Thursday.

Turkey marks 50.5C heat record in southeast
Istanbul (AFP) July 26, 2025 - Turkey's environment ministry said Saturday that meteorologists had registered a reading of 50.5C in the southeast of the country, a nationwide record.

The record temperature was registered on Friday at Silopi, the ministry said in a post on X.

And across the country, 132 weather stations had registered record temperatures for the month of July, the statement added.

Silopi, in the province of Sirnak, sits just 10 kilometres (six miles) from Turkey's borders with Iraq and Syria.

The previous heat record in temperature, recorded in August 2023, was 49.5C.

The country is currently in the grip of a heatwave and is fighting fires in a number of regions.

Firefighters have been struggling for four days to contain one in the northern Karabuk province, forcing the evacuation of several villagers.

On Wednesday, 10 people perished fighting a fire in Eskisehir province.

The heatwave, which is expected to last several days more, has forced some local authourities to announce restrictions on water consumption, including the seaside resort of Cesme, near Izmir on Turkey's west coast.

Neighbouring Greece is also suffering a heatwave and battling fires in several parts of the country.

Related Links
Weather News at TerraDaily.com