The METEO unit of the National Observatory of Athens announced that Greece suffered one of its most intense meltemi wind episodes in 15 years in late July 2026. Data from the observatory's meteorological network showed severe gale-force winds with peak gusts reaching 150 kilometres per hour across Attica, Euboea and southern Crete.
Weather stations with long-term operating histories recorded extraordinary summer wind speeds during the final days of July. The highest overall wind speed occurred at Paximada in Karystos, where a gust of 150 kilometres per hour on July 31 marked the highest summer measurement at that station since 2013.
A second station at the peak of Penteli also registered a maximum gust of 150 kilometres per hour on July 31. The observatory noted that comparative historical evaluation for that peak station is currently unavailable because it has operated for only one year.
Wind Speed Measurements Across Regions
In the Rethymno region of Crete, station records set multi-year summer records. Fourfouras in Amari recorded a wind gust of 111 kilometres per hour on July 29, which is its highest summer gust since 2010. Plakias recorded 114 kilometres per hour on July 30, marking its highest summer gust since 2012.
Amid these gale-force winds, a wildfire broke out in southern Rethymno on July 29. Two firefighters lost their lives while fighting the blaze in Krya Vrysi.
Near Athens, observatory facilities in Penteli recorded a gust of 108 kilometres per hour on July 31, representing the second highest summer measurement there since 2013. On the same day, Parnitha logged a gust of 109 kilometres per hour, its second highest summer reading since 2010.
The extreme winds on July 31 accompanied a wildfire in Attica-Boeotia that burned thousands of acres. The National Observatory of Athens concluded that these recordings demonstrate the vital need for continuous and reliable weather monitoring to document extreme weather events and better understand their intensity and evolution.
