An absolutely interesting Thursday for not only Athens, but most of Greece
really! The explosive cyclogenesis that took place over the Aegean during
the day caused a very enforced northerly stream (F12 at Skyros island) and
snowfalls even in the centre of Athens, the coasts around the capital, the
central and eastern Aegean isles, the Peloponnese and most parts of central
and northern continental Greece (practically most of the country, which is
rare to happen under the influence of the same system).

Athens, Wednesday evening:
SLP was dropping, as a low was approaching central Greece from the
northwest. It started raining in the evening and the accumulated
precipitation was 14.5 mm in SE Athens.

Athens, yesterday night:
Rainfalls intensified as the low centre passed right over greater Athens and
met the relatively warm Aegean water body (explosive cyclogenesis). As the
low made its way ESEwards, SLP in Athens continued to drop, until it reached
a minimum value of 984.9 hPa at 0359B.
Constant thunder was heard and then, suddenly, the noise outside the house
went really horrific. Not only was there c-g lightning in close distance,
but walnut sized hail had started to accumulate on the ground:
http://dias.aueb.gr/~ikarag/pics/hail4.jpg
It was the first time I saw -or measured- such an intense rainfall: peak
rainfall intensity reached 385.1 mm/h at 0145B and roads were turned to
rivers in three minutes:
http://dias.aueb.gr/~ikarag/pics/hail2.jpg

At the same time, central and northern parts of the country were
experiencing some heavy snowfalls. In Athens, temperature dropped from 11C
to 8C and the rain carried on until dawn, when it turned to sleet and the
surrounding hills disappeared. By 7am, temperature had dropped to 4.3C and
the hills and northern suburbs were covered with snow (30 cm at Dionysus, 5
cm at Kifissia). After a short break around noon, it got overcast again and,
this time, it snowed throughout the agglomeration (snowfalls were reported
at the Piraeus port as well). This led to a very light snow cover of ca 3-4
cm here, in SE Athens, while the northern suburbs reported snow
accumulations of 50 cm.

Downtown Athens, by Victoria squa
http://dias.aueb.gr/~ikarag/pics/victoria.jpg

Western suburbs:
http://dias.aueb.gr/~ikarag/pics/west1.jpg

University campus:
http://dias.aueb.gr/~ikarag/pics/campus1.jpg

The football field in my neighbourhood:
http://dias.aueb.gr/~ikarag/pics/football.jpg

Pines in my area:
http://dias.aueb.gr/~ikarag/pics/pines1.jpg
http://dias.aueb.gr/~ikarag/pics/pines2.jpg

The bomb-low at 12z
http://dias.aueb.gr/~ikarag/pics/bomb1.jpg

and the winds associated with it:
http://dias.aueb.gr/~ikarag/pics/bomb2.jpg

It is currently overcast and there is still a light snow cover, mostly on
cars, house rooves and the grass.

Over one metre (!) of snow at the capital town of Samothraki isl in the NE
Aegean. Blizzards right now in the eastern Aegean isles (Samos, Icaria etc).
Heavy snowfalls reported at Mykonos and Milos. Dozens of villages are facing
road network problems and access to them has problematic since the morning.

Yannis, SE Athens
OVC, +1.1C, SLP 1003.0 hPa
http://www.e-kairos.gr/january04.html