Greece Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Piraeus, and Larissa
This month in numbers
Greece experienced its 2nd warmest June on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 24.01°C, a significant +2.9°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1°C. The period of April to June 2026 also ranked as the 9th warmest on record for Greece, with an average temperature of 18.18°C, an anomaly of +1.3°C.
What changed
The past three months (April-June 2026) in Greece have been notably warmer than average, with the country experiencing its 9th warmest such period on record. This trend aligns with the broader European picture, as Europe as a whole saw its second-warmest June on record. Greece's June anomaly of +2.92°C placed it 36th out of 234 regions globally for the warmest 1-month anomaly, indicating a substantial warming compared to many other areas. The country's 1-month anomaly was also 0.36°C warmer than the average for the Europe group.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in Greece is being influenced by a strong El Niño event, currently in a weak phase with a +0.98°C anomaly for April-June 2026, and forecast to persist through the end of the year. El Niño typically brings warmer and drier conditions to the Mediterranean during summer, amplifying the risk of heatwaves and wildfires. Indeed, Greece experienced a "mini heatwave" at the end of June, with temperatures reaching up to 39°C in some areas. This period also saw a very high risk of wildfires across several regions, exacerbated by strong winds. Tragic wildfires near Thessaloniki at the end of June resulted in fatalities, and other blazes affected central and southern Greece in early July. The country is also grappling with drought, with two Aegean islands declaring a state of emergency over water scarcity in June, highlighting the impact on water resources.
Looking ahead
With El Niño conditions expected to continue, forecasts suggest that Greece can anticipate repeated surges of warm air from North Africa, potentially pushing mainland temperatures past 40°C during July and August.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Greece
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Greece – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – Greece
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen Csa · TemperateGreece has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±9.7°C) and a wet/dry cycle (6× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly rainfall climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Feb (-20 mm, -27%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean. Small figure: the actual value. Rank: position in the full record (1st = highest ever). Record: highest (or lowest) value on record with its year.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Greece
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Greece changing?
Greece is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Greece come from?
Climate data for Greece comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Greece climate data cover?
The Greece climate profile covers Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Piraeus and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Greece
How often is the Greece climate update refreshed?
The Greece climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.