Montenegro: Parts of the Balkans experienced unusually sharp temperature swings in early October, while a developing low-pressure system is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to Greece as it moves across the Mediterranean towards the Aegean Sea.
The temperature fluctuations were particularly pronounced in Montenegro, where clear skies and prolonged sunshine produced warm daytime conditions followed by rapid cooling overnight. The pattern resulted from high pressure over the region, which allowed sunlight to heat the ground during the day while enabling heat to escape more quickly into the atmosphere after sunset.
In Kosanica, Montenegro, where average October maximum temperatures are around 15C and average minimum temperatures are approximately 4C, the difference between daytime highs and overnight lows reached 30 celsius on October 4 and 5. This was more than twice the typical October temperature range.
The phenomenon, known as the diurnal temperature range, is influenced by cloud cover, humidity, wind and the amount of solar energy reaching the ground. Clear skies can contribute to greater temperature differences because there is less cloud cover to retain heat overnight.
Meanwhile, weather conditions across Europe are expected to change as high pressure strengthens over northern and western areas, pushing a low-pressure system southwards towards the Mediterranean.
The system is forecast to deepen as it crosses the Adriatic and Ionian seas before moving eastwards into the Aegean Sea around the middle of the week. Greece is expected to experience periods of heavy rainfall and strong winds as the system advances.
Forecast models indicate widespread rainfall totals of 50 to 150 millimetres in affected areas, with the highest amounts expected around the island of Skiathos. Such rainfall could create localized flooding and difficult travel conditions, particularly in areas where rain falls heavily over a short period.
The weather system is also expected to bring showers to parts of Crete towards the end of the week. The island experienced severe flooding the previous week, when storms swept cars and trees into the sea, highlighting concerns about further heavy rainfall.
Elsewhere, Hurricane Simon was moving close to Mexico’s Pacific coast near the state of Jalisco. The Category 4 storm had a central pressure of 933 millibars and maximum sustained winds approaching 150 miles per hour, or 241 kilometres per hour, at the time of the report.
The hurricane was expected to weaken rapidly if its core moved over land, cutting it off from the warm ocean waters that provide the energy needed to sustain its strength.
Heavy rainfall was also affecting southwestern Mexico, where totals were forecast to reach 300 to 400 millimetres across a wide area, with isolated locations potentially receiving 400 to 500 millimetres.
The contrasting weather developments across Europe and the Americas underline the range of atmospheric conditions affecting different regions, from sharp temperature fluctuations in the Balkans to potential flooding in Greece and intense tropical weather near Mexico.
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