Weather: A white New Year – Where snowfall is expected
New Year’s Day will be marked by low temperatures, rain, and snowfall in mountainous areas, as temperatures are set to drop sharply from Tuesday afternoon onward.
Specifically, according to the latest forecast data from the National Observatory of Athens / meteo.gr, a brief deterioration in weather conditions is expected from the afternoon of
Tuesday, 30 December, through the morning hours of New Year’s Day.
In more detail:
From Tuesday afternoon (30/12): Local rain and thunderstorms are expected in parts of the Ionian Sea region, Western Central Greece, Western Peloponnese, Crete, the Cyclades, the islands of the Eastern Aegean, and the Dodecanese.
Tuesday night (30/12) and early Wednesday morning (31/12):
Local rainfall is also expected in parts of Thessaly, Eastern Central Greece, the Northern Aegean, and temporarily in Macedonia.
From early Wednesday morning (31/12): A temperature drop of 7–10°C compared to Tuesday’s values is expected, starting from the north and becoming most noticeable in central and northern parts of the country.
On Wednesday (31/12):
Local rain is expected in lowland areas of eastern and southern Greece, while snowfall is forecast initially mainly in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas of eastern mainland Greece (Thessaly, Eastern Central Greece), and temporarily and locally even at lower altitudes.
During the late evening hours of Wednesday (31/12) and the early hours of Thursday (01/01) — a period of lower forecast certainty* — brief local snowfall may occur even in low-lying areas (and locally in plains) of Macedonia, Thessaly, the Northern Aegean, and Eastern Central Greece, including Attica.
Winds: From Tuesday afternoon (30/12), winds will initially blow from southwesterly directions at 4–5 Beaufort. From Tuesday night into early Wednesday (31/12), they will shift to northerly directions, strengthening to 6–7 Beaufort.
New Year’s Day: Weather phenomena will be limited mainly to the Aegean and Crete, where rain is expected in lowland areas and snowfall in mountainous regions. Conditions will gradually weaken by the end of the day.
According to maps published by meteo.gr, cumulative three-hour precipitation totals are shown for 08:00–11:00 on Wednesday (31/12) and 23:00 Wednesday (31/12) to 02:00 Thursday (01/01/2026), as well as estimated cumulative snowfall in Eastern Central Greece and Attica through Thursday evening (01/01/2026).
Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) Forecast for the Coming Days
Wednesday, 31 December 2025 (New Year’s Eve)
In northern Greece, partly cloudy conditions at times with local rain or sleet. In the rest of the country, increased cloud cover with local rain, while thunderstorms are expected in the southern Aegean until midday.
Light snowfall is expected in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas of the mainland and Evia.
Winds will blow from northerly directions at 5–7 Beaufort, temporarily reaching 8 Beaufort in the northeastern Aegean during the morning. In southern regions, westerly winds of similar strength will prevail until midday.
Temperatures will drop noticeably across most of the country, reaching:
5–7°C in northern regions
10–12°C in eastern mainland areas
13–15°C in western regions and the islands of the northern Aegean
16–18°C in Crete and the Dodecanese
Frost will occur in mainland areas during morning and evening hours, locally strong in the north.
Macedonia – Thrace
Weather: Partly cloudy with local rain or sleet in central Macedonia, and weak snowfall in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas. From the afternoon, brief snowfall may occur locally at lower altitudes in eastern Macedonia.
Winds: Northerly 4–6 Beaufort, locally up to 7 at sea, weakening from midday.
Temperature: From -4°C to 5–7°C; in Western Macedonia from -8°C to 3°C.
Islands – Epirus – Western Central Greece – Western Peloponnese
Weather: Partly cloudy with local rain and weak snowfall in mountainous and northern semi-mountainous areas. Conditions will gradually improve from midday, starting in the north.
Winds: North-northwesterly 3–5 Beaufort, strengthening locally to 7 Beaufort in the Ionian.
Temperature: 3°C to 13–15°C; inland Epirus from -5°C to 3°C.
Thessaly – Eastern Central Greece – Evia – Eastern Peloponnese
Weather: Periods of increased cloud cover with local rain, sleet in northern areas, and weak snowfall in mountainous and semi-mountainous regions. Isolated thunderstorms early in the morning in southern Peloponnese and Kythera.
Winds: Northerly 5–6 Beaufort, locally up to 7 Beaufort in eastern Thessaly, the Sporades, and Evia, gradually weakening.
Temperature: From -1°C to 12°C, with lower maximums in the north.
Cyclades – Crete
Weather: Increased cloud cover with local rain and scattered thunderstorms, quickly weakening.
Winds: Westerly 5–7 Beaufort, turning northerly and gradually easing.
Temperature: 9°C to 15–17°C.
Eastern Aegean Islands – Dodecanese
Weather: Increased cloud cover with local rain; scattered thunderstorms until midday in Samos–Ikaria and the Dodecanese. Late at night, snowfall is possible on the northernmost Eastern Aegean islands.
Winds: Northerly 6–8 Beaufort in the Eastern Aegean, gradually weakening; westerly 5–7 Beaufort in the Dodecanese, shifting to north-northwesterly.
Temperature: 5°C to 13°C; in the Dodecanese 12°C to 18°C.
Attica
Weather: Increased cloud cover with intermittent local rain. Weak snowfall initially in mountainous areas and, from evening, briefly in areas above approximately 350–400 meters.
Winds: Northerly 4–5 Beaufort, locally up to 6 in eastern areas until afternoon.
Temperature: 3°C to 11°C.
Thessaloniki
Weather: Generally fair, with temporary cloud cover in the morning.
Winds: North-northwesterly 5–6 Beaufort, locally up to 7 Beaufort at sea in the morning.
Temperature: -1°C to 6°C.
Thursday, 1 January 2026 (New Year’s Day)
In western and northern regions, generally fair weather with a few local clouds during the morning in eastern Macedonia, Thrace, and eastern Halkidiki, where weak snowfall is expected in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas and sleet at lower altitudes.
In the rest of the country, partly cloudy conditions with local rain, sleet in northern areas, and temporary snowfall in mountainous and semi-mountainous regions of central and northern Greece. After midday, conditions will improve in most areas, with precipitation continuing only in Crete until evening.
Winds will blow from northerly directions at 4–5 Beaufort, up to 6 Beaufort at sea, gradually weakening from the afternoon.
Temperatures will drop slightly further, especially in southern regions, remaining low nationwide:
5–6°C in the north
7–10°C in eastern mainland areas
11–13°C elsewhere
Locally 14–15°C in southern Crete and the Dodecanese
Frost will occur during morning and evening hours in mainland areas, locally strong in the north.
Friday, 2 January 2026
Initially, generally fair weather across most of the country with a few local clouds, which will increase in western regions. From the afternoon onward, local rain is expected in the northern Ionian, Epirus, western Macedonia, and temporarily in eastern Macedonia and Thrace, while scattered thunderstorms will occur in the Ionian Sea. Overnight, precipitation will extend to Western Central Greece and the Western Peloponnese.
Snowfall is expected from the afternoon in mountainous areas of Epirus and briefly in the evening in mountainous regions of eastern Macedonia and Thrace.
Winds will blow from southerly to southwesterly directions at 3–5 Beaufort, while in southeastern areas winds will be westerly to northwesterly with the same intensity. From the afternoon, winds in the Ionian and gradually in the northeastern Aegean will strengthen to 5–6 Beaufort, increasing further overnight.
Temperatures will rise slightly in terms of maximum values, though morning frost will persist in mainland areas, locally strong in the north.
Πηγή: www.news247.gr
