The highest temperature recorded in Greece on Monday, in what meteorologists say was the climax of a severe heat wave sweeping through the country, reached 46.3C at the Makrakomi site in the south-central prefecture of Fthiotida, on the eastern side of Greece's mainland.
The reading was the highest ever recorded by the National Observatory of Athens and its affiliated meteo.gr.
Above 40C temperatures were recorded around the east Mediterranean country on Monday, including on the islands and even mountainous regions. At least four other cities were scorched with temperatures of above 44C.
Tuesday is expected to be the last day of the heat wave, with the mercury in places reaching 44C to 45C.
According to scientists in Greece, July 2021 witnessed two heat waves, while days of above-average temperatures exceeded the periods of below-average temperatures.
For the islands of the eastern Aegean, the Cyclades and Dodecanese, the month of July 2021 was 0.1 degree hotter than the previous hottest month of the last 10 years, 2018. In other areas around Greece, July 2021 was roughly one degree cooler than the extremely hot month of July 2012.
