Record-high heat wave across Greece

[Ellinas]

Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas took to the streets in central Athens yesterday to hand out pamphlets calling for consumers to be careful with power usage. High temperatures over the last few days have tested the country’s power grid as Greeks switch on air conditioners to cool down.

Three people died yesterday as continued hot weather across the country kept temperatures well above the 40 degree Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) mark in what is set to be the the hottest June ever recorded.

The Health Ministry said that three pensioners, aged 76, 84 and 103, died of medical conditions aggravated by heat stroke in central and southern Greece.

The government ordered all public offices to work only half-days today and tomorrow, closing at midday to reduce energy consumption and allow people to stay out of the sun during the peak hours of the day.

“Based on the forecasts, temperatures are expected to be very high for the next two days, so we have taken these extraordinary measures,” said Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

Temperatures are expected to remain high for a second week, reaching 43C (109F) in Athens.

National electricity consumption exceeded 10,000 megawatts to hit a record high yesterday, fueled by heavy air-conditioning use and causing limited power outages in parts of Athens and Thessaloniki.

The government urged the public to avoid unnecessary energy consumption but insisted that the national grid had been adequately strengthened to avoid widespread outages.

“The system had been reinforced to withstand even higher levels of consumption,” said Nikos Stefanou, general secretary at the Development Ministry.

Greece has been relying on importing electricity from neighboring countries to help meet demand.

Temperatures are not expected to ease until Thursday, according to weather experts.

Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ

[Ellinas]

Cities with the highest temperatures yesterday (June 25):

Eleusis... 46 C (115 F)
Palaiochora, Crete... 44 C (111 F)
Chania... 43 C (109 F)
Athens... 43 C (109 F)
Tanagra... 43 C (109 F)
Kalamata... 43 C (109 F)
Trikala... 42 C (108 F)
Amphikleia... 42 C (108 F)
Larissa... 42 C (108 F)
Kythira... 41 C (106 F)
Lamia... 41 C (106 F)
Volos... 41 C (106 F)
Herakleon... 41 C (106 F)
Tripolis... 40 C (104 F)
Milos... 40 C (104 F)
Santorini... 40 C (104 F)

[MarinaEllas]

Xriste kai panagia mou pos borite kai to andexete?

[Ellinas]

Cities with the highest temperatures yesterday (June 26):

Athens... 47 C (117 F)
Argos... 46 C (115 F)
Eleusis... 46 C (115 F)
Megara... 45 C (113 F)
Tanagra... 44 C (111 F)
Spata... 44 C (111 F)
Lamia... 44 C (111 F)
Larissa... 44 C (111 F)
Volos... 44 C (111 F)
Kalamata... 43 C (109 F)
Velo... 43 C (109 F)
Trikala... 43 C (109 F)
Amphikleia... 42 C (108 F)

[Prokomenos]

That is what I call a heat wave. Here in NYC it was in the 90's and I thought that was hot if I was in Athens now Id go crazy in the heat. I dont like the heat at all.

[Ellinas]

Originally Posted by Prokomenos
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That is what I call a heat wave. Here in NYC it was in the 90's and I thought that was hot if I was in Athens now Id go crazy in the heat. I dont like the heat at all.

The situation in Athens is the worse in Greece as the heat is absorbed by the cement and asphalt and then it gets slipped again creating very high temperatures round-the-clock, even in the evening and during the night. In the day the pollution dust makes the atmosphere even most stuffy. These days here the best thing is to stay in the house if you don't have anything serious to do outside.

Yesterday they were also electricity pauses in some parts of Athens (West parts mainly). The system became unusually overcharched because of the exceeding use of air-conditioners etc, so they switched off the electricity in various small parts in order to avoid a blackout in the whole city and you can imagine what this would mean... What two complexes of thermoelectric power plants in the whole country can do in cases with so high power demand?...

[Prokomenos]

Originally Posted by Ellinas
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The situation in Athens is the worse in Greece as the heat is absorbed by the cement and asphalt and then it gets slipped again creating very high temperatures round-the-clock, even in the evening and during the night. In the day the pollution dust makes the atmosphere even most stuffy. These days here the best thing is to stay in the house if you don't have anything serious to do outside.

Yesterday they were also electricity pauses in some parts of Athens (West parts mainly). The system became unusually overcharched because of the exceeding use of air-conditioners etc, so they switched off the electricity in various small parts in order to avoid a blackout in the whole city and you can imagine what this would mean... What two complexes of thermoelectric power plants in the whole country can do in cases with so high power demand?...

We had the same problem here in the US a couple of summers ago when their was a blackout during the summer. The blackout affected many states for a couple of days some even longer due to the over use of airconditioners. Well it was not that bad for us in NY the temperature was around 95-100 during the time compared to Athens its nothing.

[sea_gr]

Pwpw den paleuetai auti h zesti pragmatika, kaigomaste.:thimomenos:
Eutixws iparxei kai to air condition, oso antexei vevaia kai h Deh, kai drosizomaste.
Exoune pethanei mexri twra 8 anthrwpoi, an einai dunaton!

[Hellenika]

Isn't it kind of early for that kind of heat? Didn't realize it was this bad.

Heat wave kills five more
Searing temperatures provoke record power consumption, blackouts, fires

Searing temperatures reached 46 Celsius (115 Fahrenheit) in parts of the country yesterday as power consumption reached record levels and the toll of heat-related deaths rose to eight.

The majority of the five deaths reported yesterday were elderly citizens but also included a 17-year-old girl on Crete.

The blazing heat provoked several fires in Attica and other parts of the country but no injuries were reported.

Meanwhile, the National Meteorological Service (EMY) warned that the heat wave would continue for at least another two days and advised citizens, especially the old and frail, to avoid exposure to the sun. Temperatures are expected to drop slightly today, reaching an anticipated high of 44C (111F) on the mainland. Air-conditioned halls will remain open and access to beaches in Vouliagmeni and Aghia Triada will be free. Public services, apart from hospitals, will close at noon.

Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas yesterday insisted that the country’s power network could cope with the increased demand after power consumption reached record levels. But most of Attica, and many other parts of the country, were hit by brief power cuts. Blackouts lasting as long as eight hours were recorded in some parts of Attica, such as Halandri. Moreover, the fire service received dozens of calls from citizens trapped in elevators.

Authorities appealed to citizens to curb their use of electrical appliances to avoid overstraining the power network. They also asked citizens to reduce their use of cars to curb the pollution that has made the atmosphere in central Athens asphyxiating.

The heat provoked at least six fires yesterday. The largest blaze broke out in Nafplion, close to the monastery of Aghios Theodosios, but was extinguished before it reached the building. Fires also broke out in Elefsina, Larissa, Lamia, Viotia and Mandra, Attica. Most of the fires were under control by late yesterday. Small blazes in Thessaloniki’s Seikh Sou Forest and Attica’s Mount Parnitha were extinguished before they could spread.

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection warned that the fire risk would be equally high today in many parts of the country.

[Ellinas]

Originally Posted by Hellenika
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Isn't it kind of early for that kind of heat?

We are still in the end of June. If it goes like that in August we'll be reaching 50 C in a daily basis.