Greece faces unprecedented winter warmth, posing risks to crops and increasing likelihood of wildfires

Greek scientists have analyzed data showing that this winter in Greece has been the warmest on record, posing a risk to crop sustainability and sparking concerns about the potential for severe wildfires during the upcoming summer.

Between December and February, the average maximum temperature reached 11.3 degrees Celsius (52.3 Fahrenheit), which is 1.8 degrees higher than the typical peak winter temperatures recorded between 1960 and 2024.

In certain areas of northern Greece, temperatures were even higher, with some regions experiencing increases of up to 7-8 degrees compared to historical averages.

This information was gathered and analyzed by the National Observatory of Athens in collaboration with the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

The data is a concern for Greece, which is one of the most climate-impacted countries in Europe, where wildfires killed at least 20 people last summer.

In the autumn, torrential record-breaking rains wiped out homes, cattlelands and crops, raising concerns about the fragile climate defenses.