Extremely high temperatures were recorded last month, June 2024, around Greece, with the specific month witnessing what meteorologists called the earlier heatwave in the east Mediterranean country. Weather data showed it was the hottest June for over a decade.
According to data collected by 53 weather stations operated by the National Observatory of Athens’ meteo.gr unit, this year’s June saw the highest average daily high temperatures throughout the country, and since the monitoring system went online in 2010.
Since 2010 at least, June has been the hottest recorded, with a significant difference in comparison to the same month in previous years.
In south-central Greece and the Peloponnese, average monthly temperatures were higher by as much as 4.8C, compared to average temperatures for previous months of June.
Greece was faced with extremely dry conditions which resulted in tens of wildfires breaking out across the country in the space of the last 3 days.
A total of 52 wildfires were reported throughout the country over the past 24 hours – of which 44 were extinguished immediately.
One man died after suffering a heart attack due to smoke inhalation while battling the flames. Several houses have been burnt while settlements around Attica have been evacuated.
