ATHENS — The month of July in 2021 was the warmest on record for the Aegean islands in the past decade and the second-warmest on record for the mainland, according to the weather stations of the National Observatory of Athens weather service meteo.gr.

The month saw two heatwaves, during the first two days and the last five days, while days of above-average temperatures exceeded the periods of below-average temperatures were brief.

For the islands of the Eastern Aegean, Cyclades and Dodecanese, the month was 0.1 degree hotter than the previous hottest month of the last 10 years, 2018. For other areas, it was roughly one degree cooler than the extremely hot July of 2012.

Temperatures during the intense heatwave, which is still ongoing, during the last days of the month were up to eight degrees above average for the time of year.

The heat wave is expected to peak Monday, with temperatures inland ranging from 42 to 46 degrees Celsius (107.6 to 114.8 Fahrenheit). Temperatures will remain at 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) or above in much of Greece until at least Friday, meteorologists say.