Good morning, everyone.

The weather has been continued cool in The Netherlands during the last week
with temperatures hovering mainly between 0 and 5C, after the widespread air
frosts early last week. Nothing much to expect for the following days here,
weather wise.

As far as Greece is concerned, Christmas may not have been white at low
lying areas of the country, but temperatures plummeted to -8C at Nevrokopi
and the snow accumulations at some ski resorts were more than welcome.
Another cold advection is happening today: rain turned to sleet in the
northern suburbs of Athens, while it is now snowing in the surrounding hills
and mountains. By the end of the day, I would expect some snow, though not
significant, to fall in the centre of the city, too. This storm should
mainly affect the eastern and south wind-prone areas (southern Chalkidiki,
eastern Thessaly, eastern continental Greece, Evia, Attica/Athens, eastern
Peloponnese, Cyclades and Crete).

I would also like to inform you that the National Observatory of Athens has
been installing some weather stations in weather wise interesting areas of
the country that had little or no coverage so far
(http://www.e-kairos.com/GreeceRegionsEnglish.png). The stations are now
online. For the ones interested, the links a

1. Orestiada: situated at a very low altitude of around 20 m amsl, it is one
of the few places that have a direct access to the cold NE'lies from the
Black Sea (as the european part of Turkey, lying in between, is a lowland).
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/orestiada

2. Kato Nevrokopi: one of the frost hollows near the town of Drama.
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/nevrokopi

3. Polygyros: capital of the prefecture of Chalkidiki
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/polygyros

4. Kilkis: capital of the prefecture of Kilkis
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/kilkis

5. Naousa: town in Hemathia at the eastern slopes of the Vermio mountain,
not far from the 3-5 Pigadia ski resort, but at a low altitude itself. When
it snows in Macedonia with an easterly, that's the place to be.
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/naousa

6. Ptolemaida: the all-time low temperature record holder for Greece is now
challenged by stations (2) and (7).
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/ptolemaida

7. Ioannina: the HNMS station was, as in many cities, at the airport. This
station should provide with more representative data for the area around the
city.
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/ioannina

8. Igoumenitsa: opposite of Corfu, one of the wettest areas of Greece at sea
level.
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/igoumenitsa

9. Arta: the wettest area of Greece at low level.
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/arta

10. Amfiklia: at the eastern slopes of the Parnassos mountain range,
providing valuable information for local winter sports lovers.
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/amfiklia

11. Palaeochora: often receiving rain with SWlies when the rest of Greece
doesn't receive anything.
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/paleochora

12. Chania (city): the nearest station was at the airport, which often
experiences different weather.
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/chania

13. Knossos: Knossos is to Irakleion what the northern suburbs are to
Athens.
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/heraclion

14. Tzermiado: situated at the Lasithi plateau. A frost hollow when one
least expects it. Also receives frequent thunderstorms in summer.
http://www.meteo.gr/stations/tzermiado

Seasonal greetings and merry observations, all :-)

Yannis