Greece records coldest May day in 70 years as snow falls on Mount Olympus
Greece has recorded its coldest May Day in seven decades, as unseasonably cold weather swept across the country on May 1, bringing heavy rainfall and even snowfall in several regions.
According to data from the National Observatory of Athens, the sharp drop in temperatures and widespread precipitation marked a historic anomaly for the spring holiday. In Athens, temperatures fell to just 14°C, the lowest May 1 reading in approximately 70 years.
For comparison, May Day temperatures reached 17°C in 1987 and 16°C in 1944, highlighting the unusual nature of this year’s cold spell.
Snowfall was reported in higher-altitude areas, most notably on Mount Olympus, where winter-like conditions returned despite the spring season. Similar scenes were observed in regions such as Serres and Pelion.
The heaviest rainfall was recorded in the Setta area of Evia, where precipitation reached 55.6 mm. Significant rainfall was also observed across central Greece and the Sporades.
Meteorologists noted that dense fog and fresh snowfall on Mount Olympus created landscapes more typical of mid-winter than early May, with snow blanketing peaks and mountainous terrain across the country.
The rare weather event underscores increasing climate variability in the region, as Greece experiences more frequent extremes outside traditional seasonal patterns.
