Greece suffered record high temperatures in June, ‘the hottest since 1960’, experts say

Accustomed to heat waves, the country has been preparing for weeks for a particularly difficult summer in terms of heatwaves and forest fires, after having suffered the hottest winter in its history.

June 2024 was the hottest month recorded in Greece since 1960. The average temperature “from 1960 to 2024 shows an increase of 2.5°C”reports Kostas Lagouvardos, research director at the National Observatory of Athens, on Tuesday, July 9. “June 2024 was characterized by extended periods of high temperatures for many days, far exceeding normal seasonal temperatures across the country”he says.

For his part, Kostas Synolakis, chairman of the climate change committee, told public television Ert that some “high temperatures exceeding the average by 3.8°C were recorded”. “June 2024 is the hottest June ever recorded in Greece, exceeding the average value for the period 1991-2020 by +3.8°C [qui établit les normales de saison] and +2°C in June 2012″a previous record for this month, added Kostas Lagouvardos. While normal June temperatures in Greece do not exceed 30-31°C, “This June, we had temperatures of 35°C and a heatwave in mid-June with temperatures of over 40°C”he explained.

This illustrates the global phenomenon of global warming, which promotes such heat waves. Greece is also accustomed to this and has been preparing for weeks for a particularly difficult summer in terms of heat waves and forest fires after having suffered the hottest winter in its history. The country already suffered in June “more than twice as much” fires than in the same month in 2023 due to particularly high temperatures, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis described on Monday. On X, the director of the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Theodoros Kolydas, shows that “warm temperatures will continue into the second half of July”with some “levels about 6°C above seasonal norm”.

Since the 19th century, the Earth’s average temperature warmed by 1.1°C. Scientists have established with certainty that this increase is due to human activities, consumers of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas). This warming, unprecedented in its speed, threatens the future of our societies and biodiversity. But solutions – renewable energies, moderation, reduction of meat consumption – exist. Discover our answers to your questions on the climate crisis.