ATHENS – The civil protection agency is on high alert following a severe weather warning issued by the National Meteorological Service for Friday and Saturday, especially for central and northern Greece.

According to the forecast, this will include heavy rain and thunderstorms with very frequent lightning strikes, as well as hail. The phenomena are forecast to begin just before noon on Friday in the northern Ionian Sea, Epirus and spread to Western and Central Macedonia and Thessaly during the day. From Friday night they will become less severe in the west but spread to eastern Macedonia, the islands of the north Aegean, the Sporades island group, eastern mainland Greece and Evia.

On Saturday, the bad weather will continue in Macedonia, north Aegean, Thessaly, the Sporades islands, eastern mainland Greece and the island of Evia, then spread throughout mainland Greece by the afternoon and evening before improving at night.

Temperatures are seen falling in central and northern parts of the country by up to 4-6 Celsius, with highs of 26C and 28C in the north.

Citizens are advised to take precautions in areas where heavy rain and other phenomena are forecast.