Greece Under Red Code Alert Amid Severe Storms and Widespread Disruption

Nationwide Weather Alert

A powerful weather system has swept across Greece, triggering a Red Code alert for seven regions and causing widespread disruption with heavy rainfall, gale-force winds, and significant snowfall. The Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY/HNMS) issued an emergency bulletin, forecasting intense and prolonged weather phenomena for Sunday, February 1, and Monday, February 2, 2026.

The severe weather front is characterized by not only its intensity but also its duration, affecting most areas of the country. Winds are expected to reach 8 to 9 Beaufort (approximately 39 to 54 miles per hour), particularly along coasts and at sea, with the possibility of local hailstorms.

Regions Under Highest Alert

Greek Civil Protection authorities placed the following seven regions under the highest alert level, known as a Red Code, due to the expected impact of the storms:

• Peloponnese
• Thessaly, including the Sporades
• Achaea
• Elis (Ilia)
• Pieria
• Imathia
• Chalkidiki

These areas were anticipated to experience particularly intense phenomena, including heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Impact and Emergency Response

The severe weather has led to significant impacts across the country. Localized flooding has been reported in areas such as Attica, with traffic halted along the Varda stream. Landslides were recorded in Xanthi, and coastal roads in Larissa, particularly in the Agiokampos area, were submerged as the sea breached land barriers. The island of Samos also experienced extensive flooding and landslides, causing damage to road networks and homes.

Emergency services have been actively responding to incidents, including rescuing individuals trapped by floodwaters. Ferry services from Greece's main ports were canceled due to the gale-force southerly winds, further disrupting transport. The 112 emergency alert system was activated, sending warnings to residents in affected areas, urging them to limit travel.

Outlook

While the system was expected to begin weakening early on Monday as it gradually shifts southeast, unsettled weather, including periods of rain and storms, was forecast to persist in the Dodecanese and Crete. Conditions across the rest of the country are expected to steadily improve as the disturbance moves away.