Heavy rains are expected to hit parts of Greece on Tuesday night and into Wednesday which in some areas may cause flash flooding, said the the National Weather Service (EMY).

According to the latest bulletin, heavy rains are expected in the next few hours, with higher amounts forecast for Western Greece, including on the Ionian islands and in Epirus, Thessaly, and the northwestern Peloponnese.

In addition to the rain and thunderstorms, meteorologists are also forecasting hailstorms with some snow expected on the mountains of Epirus and Macedonia in Northern Greece.

The first snowfall for the winter season was reported on Monday on Mt. Parnassus, where one of the country’s most  popular ski resorts is located.

Light showers started in the early evening on Tuesday in Athens and the surrounding areas as temperatures dropped to the seasonal average. The temperatures on Wednesday will range from 13 to 19 degrees Celsius, with easterly winds 3-4 on the Beaufort scale.

The rainy weather is set to continue into Friday with colder temperatures and scattered showers expected on the weekend.

Greek authorities are on high alert for flooding after the flash floods which hit Valencia in Spain earlier this month leaving at least 214 people dead and unprecedented damage. In August, tons of rubbish and debris was removed during a cleanup operation of Athens’ Kifissos River in view of the rain season.