Greece, strange weather conditions

[redsturgeon]

I have just come back from a week in Greece, near Kalamata. The forecast was for a week of sun with temperatures around 28-30c after a little rain on the day of arrival, it sounded perfect.

When we arrived in the evening it was a little misty and overcast, apparently it had been raining but that had been in the forecast, low cloud hung over the mountains and it looked quite atmospheric, although we looked forward to the unbroken sunshine ahead of us. We were to be disappointed.

Every day was pretty much the same, we never actually saw a bright blue sky at any time during the week although it was warm and did not rain. It was not really cloudy as such but the whole sky was just grey and hazy for the week and though the sun was shining through the haze it never actually burned off like it often does in the UK on a hazy morning. It reminded me of the weather you can get in Dubai at times.

Speaking to the hotel staff it seems that the weather has been like this for the past few weeks and he blamed dust being blown over from Africa.

As it was an activity holiday rather than just a lying on the beach holiday the haziness did not really affect our enjoyment too much but 6 days of greyness, even warm greyness is not really what you expect from Greece in late May.

It has been pleasant to come back to England for the white fluffy clouds in a blue sky. You don't realise how much a blue sky improves the mood until it is missing.

[terminal7]

Sand storms ahead with Saharan dust cloud set to smother France

This started in April and has affected a lot of Southern Europe. Indeed this has been an on and off phenomena for some time where I live for part of the year near Nimes.

T7

[redsturgeon]

Sand storms ahead with Saharan dust cloud set to smother France

This started in April and has affected a lot of Southern Europe. Indeed this has been an on and off phenomena for some time where I live for part of the year near Nimes.

T7

While I was in Greece under the grey sky my daughter sent me a photo of her walking her dog along the canal in Arles, the sky was a vivid bright blue.

[terminal7]

This started in April and has affected a lot of Southern Europe. Indeed this has been an on and off phenomena for some time where I live for part of the year near Nimes.

T7

While I was in Greece under the grey sky my daughter sent me a photo of her walking her dog along the canal in Arles, the sky was a vivid bright blue.

Remember last year I think around June finding a thin layer of red dust on the car that had 'appeared' overnight - locals all said from the Sahara.

T7

ps Will be in Arles early July for annual photography festival.