ATHENS – A storm system dubbed “Penelope” is expected to affect Greece in the coming days, starting on Sunday afternoon and spreading across the country from the west, according to forecasts released by the National Observatory of Athens weather service meteo.gr.

The weather is seen deteriorating, with strong rain and storms that may be accompanied by hail or snow on higher ground. It is a weather system that formed over Italy and is expected to move east toward Greece throughout next week until next Thursday, bringing substantial and possibly destructive rainfall to several parts of the country. Snowfall at lower altitudes is a possibility in northern Greece later in the week.

Storm Penelope is expected to reach the Ionian islands and the western coast of Greece on Sunday afternoon and continue moving eastward overnight, reaching Attica and most other parts of the country on Monday. Temperatures are not expected to change greatly while winds will be mainly southerly, reaching speeds of up to seven Beaufort in the Ionian Sea.

By Tuesday the worst weather will be mainly centred in western Greece and eastern Aegean, on Wednesday it will affect almost the entire country and on Thursday it will be focused mainly in the east and south. Snow at lower altitudes may be seen in areas of northern Greece on Wednesday, while the weather is forecast to drop sharply from Wednesday and Thursday, when winds shift to a northerly direction and become stronger in the Aegean.