Mediterranean heatwave

Scorching temperatures hit both Greece and Turkey this week, leading to the temporary closure of the Acropolis – Greece’s most visited monument.

This map shows the land surface temperature of Greece and surrounding countries on 30 June. The data show that surface temperatures reached over 50°C in many locations including the northwest of Athens and many regions in Turkey. The blue spots visible near Albania are clouds.

The map has been generated using the Copernicus Sentinel-3’s Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer. Whereas weather forecasts use predicted air temperatures, the satellite measures the real amount of energy radiating from Earth – therefore this map better represents the real temperature of the land surface.