According to data analyzed by Greek scientists, this winter was the warmest in Greece’s history, putting crops at risk and raising fears of another summer of devastating wildfires, Reuters reported.
From December to February, the average peak temperature was 11.3 degrees Celsius (52.3 Fahrenheit), which is 1.8 degrees Celsius (3.24 degrees Fahrenheit) above the average maximum winter temperatures from 1960-2024.
In some parts of northern Greece, temperatures soared by 7-8 degrees Celsius, according to the National Observatory of Athens, which analyzed data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
This was the warmest winter since records began in 1936, and it falls in line with a trend: six of the ten warmest winters in Greece have occurred in the last decade.
The implications of this record-breaking warmth are significant:
- Agriculture: Warmer winters can disrupt crop cycles and reduce yields, posing a threat to food security.
- Wildfires: Increased temperatures and dry conditions create ideal conditions for wildfires, which have already ravaged Greece in recent years.
- Water scarcity: Decreased snowfall and earlier snowmelt can lead to water shortages, impacting both agriculture and drinking water supplies.
Experts warn that climate change is making extreme weather events more frequent and severe. Greece is particularly vulnerable due to its location in the Mediterranean region, which is considered a climate change hotspot.
The government has announced plans to invest in renewable energy and climate adaptation measures. However, critics argue that these measures are not enough and that more needs to be done to address the root causes of climate change.
