Heat wave to get stronger, passing 40C mark in Athens next weekend

A heat wave that has seen temperatures in many parts of Greece shoot past the 35 Celsius mark will only get worse as the week wears on, meteorologists warned on Sunday.

According to Skai's weather service, daytime highs in Athens will increase through the week to reach 41C next weekend, as a heat wave from northern Africa sweeps through Europe, raising temperatures to well above seasonal averages in many parts of southern Europe, but also in the UK and France, as well as in Siberia.

A similar trend is expected to grip northern Greece and the eastern mainland, with daytime highs in Thessaloniki and Volos over the coming week ranging from 34 to 39 Celsius, the national weather service (HNMS) reported.

Conditions will be somewhat more bearable in southern Greece and the islands, where temperatures will hover around 4-5 degrees Celsius below these levels.