EMY Orange Storm Warning for Athens and the Aegean, 13–14 October 2026
Monday 12 October 2026 — Greece’s National Meteorological Service (EMY) has issued an Emergency Weather Deterioration Bulletin at orange warning level for Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 October. Attica, including Athens, is inside the warning zone for locally strong rain and thunderstorms from late Tuesday afternoon until late Tuesday night, and north-easterly winds of 8–9 Beaufort are forecast in the north and then the central Aegean from Tuesday evening until late Wednesday afternoon — strong enough to disrupt island ferries.
Update Tuesday 13 October, morning — the orange bulletin remains in force. As of this morning the Hellenic Coast Guard has not issued a sailing ban from Piraeus, Rafina or Lavrio and morning ferries are departing as scheduled. The wind warning applies from this evening, so evening and Wednesday crossings to the Cyclades, Sporades and northern Aegean are the ones most likely to be cancelled — confirm with your operator before travelling to the port. Athens airport, metro and buses are running normally.
Update Friday 16 October — disruption over, all Attica ports sailing normally. The sailing ban was lifted on Thursday morning: Piraeus departures, including the Argosaronic lines, ran normally from the morning of 15 October, and Rafina and Lavrio resumed with their first departures at 16:30 and 17:30 respectively (Coast Guard via Eleftheros Typos, 15 October). No ban is in force on Friday 16 October. The EMY outlook for Friday is cooler with local rain and isolated storms over Attica from the afternoon and northerly winds of 4–5 Beaufort, well below port-closure strength, so weekend island trips should run as scheduled. This post will not be updated further unless conditions change; see the live tracker for today's status.
Book your private airport transfer – instant confirmation
Welcome PickupsUpdate Thursday 15 October, morning — ban lifting at Piraeus from 09:00, Rafina and Lavrio morning sailings still cancelled. The storm has moved on from Attica and winds are easing. According to the Port of Piraeus, the sailing ban is expected to be lifted from 09:00 this morning, with ferries departing in operator order after that; everything scheduled before 09:00 did not sail, and the 21:00 Wednesday-night sailings to Crete were cancelled. At Rafina the morning departures to the Cyclades are not running (only the Marmari route is expected to sail) and at Lavrio all morning departures are cancelled. Argosaronic conventional ferries and hydrofoils sail at the captain's discretion. A fresh Coast Guard update is expected at 12:00, so if you are travelling to an island today, call your operator before heading to the port rather than turning up for a morning departure. The roads flooded on Tuesday night reopened at 03:00 on Wednesday, and the airport, metro, buses and taxis are running normally. Forecasters warn of a new round of rain and thunderstorms from Friday 16 October, so check the live tracker before a weekend ferry trip (ERTnews, 15 October, 06:57).
Update Wednesday 14 October, morning — sailing ban now in force from Piraeus and Lavrio. The Hellenic Coast Guard has suspended departures from Piraeus and Lavrio because of north-easterly winds of 8–9 and locally 10 Beaufort in the Aegean. On the Argosaronic routes (Aegina, Agistri, Poros, Hydra, Spetses) only some conventional ferries are sailing and no hydrofoils or fast boats; the morning departures from Rafina to Andros, Tinos and Mykonos are expected to run. The Agia Marina–Nea Styra and Arkitsa–Aidipsos ferries to Evia are suspended. If you hold a ferry ticket for today, confirm with your operator before leaving for the port, and do not count on afternoon sailings resuming. Tuesday evening's torrential rain flooded roads in Piraeus, Perama, Mandra, Megara and east Attica and closed Skouze Street in Piraeus, Imerou Pefkou Street in Pikermi and the Athens-bound carriageway of the old Athens–Corinth road at Megara overnight; allow extra time for road transfers this morning. Athens airport, metro, buses and trams are operating (Coast Guard via SKAI, 14 October 07:09; in.gr, 13 October).
| Service | Status for 13–15 October |
|---|---|
| Athens International Airport (ATH) | Open. Thunderstorms over Attica on Tuesday evening may cause short delays or holding — check your flight status before leaving. |
| Metro, tram, buses, taxis | Running normally. Metro Line 3 night works (stations Panormou–Agia Paraskevi closed from 21:40, Sun–Thu) continue regardless. |
| Ferries from Piraeus, Rafina, Lavrio | Thursday 15 October: Piraeus ban expected to lift from 09:00; Rafina morning Cyclades sailings and all Lavrio morning sailings cancelled (only Rafina–Marmari expected to run). Wednesday 14 October: sailing ban from Piraeus and Lavrio all day, 21:00 Crete sailings cancelled. Next Coast Guard update 12:00 Thursday — confirm with your operator before travelling to the port. |
| Roads in Attica | Open. Roads flooded on Tuesday night in Piraeus, Perama, Mandra, Megara, Pikermi and east Attica reopened at 03:00 on Wednesday 14 October; no closures reported on Thursday 15 October. New rain expected from Friday 16 October. |
| Warning level | Orange (EMY emergency bulletin, 12 October 2026). |
What the EMY bulletin says
The bulletin, issued on Monday 12 October, forecasts a two-day spell of locally strong rain and thunderstorms, mainly over sea and coastal areas, with the chance of local hail. On Tuesday 13 October the worst conditions are expected first in the Ionian islands, western mainland Greece and the western Peloponnese (morning to late afternoon), then Halkidiki, the Sporades, eastern Thessaly and Evia from the afternoon, where EMY notes the storms will be both intense and long-lasting. Attica and the rest of eastern central Greece, plus the north-eastern Peloponnese, are listed for temporary but locally intense storms from late afternoon until late at night. The Dodecanese and Crete follow from late night onwards.
On Wednesday 14 October the storms persist over the Sporades, eastern Thessaly and Evia until late afternoon, over the Dodecanese until the afternoon, and over western Crete until late at night. Separately, EMY warns of locally very strong north-easterly winds of 8 to 9 Beaufort, first in the northern Aegean and gradually in the central Aegean, from Tuesday evening until late Wednesday afternoon.
Book your private airport transfer – instant confirmation
Welcome PickupsFor Athens itself this means a normal, dry Tuesday daytime, a stormy Tuesday evening, and a windy but largely dry Wednesday. The wind is the bigger travel issue: 8–9 Beaufort in the central Aegean is the range at which Greek port authorities typically suspend conventional ferries and high-speed services to the Cyclades.
What it means for your airport and port transfers
Flying in or out on Tuesday evening: Athens airport stays open in thunderstorms, but arrivals can be held and departures delayed while cells pass over Spata. Build in a buffer, and if you are landing after 21:40 remember that Metro Line 3 airport trains terminate at Chalandri on Sunday–Thursday nights this week because of rail-replacement works — a pre-booked transfer or taxi avoids a bus-and-metro shuffle in the rain.
Taking a ferry on Tuesday or Wednesday: sailings on Tuesday morning and daytime should run, but anything departing Piraeus, Rafina or Lavrio from Tuesday evening through Wednesday afternoon towards the Cyclades, Sporades or northern Aegean is exposed to the 8–9 Beaufort winds. Sailing bans are decided by the Coast Guard on the day, usually early morning; check your operator’s app and have a hotel fallback in Athens in case you are held in port. If you can move your island crossing to Tuesday morning or Thursday, do it.
Driving or taking a taxi in Athens on Tuesday evening: roads stay open but short, heavy downpours regularly flood underpasses and the Kifisos corridor. Leave 20–30 minutes earlier for the airport than you normally would.
Book your private airport transfer – instant confirmation
Welcome PickupsSource: EMY Emergency Weather Deterioration Bulletin, 12 October 2026 (full text republished by the Region of Peloponnese); also reported by To Vima and other national media on 12 October.
Lock in a fixed-price airport transfer before the storm
A pre-booked Welcome Pickups transfer means a driver tracks your flight, waits if you are delayed by weather, and takes you door-to-door at a fixed price — no queueing at the taxi rank in the rain and no metro-plus-bus workaround after 21:40.
Frequently asked questions
Is Athens airport closing because of the storm?
No. The EMY bulletin is an orange-level weather warning, not an airport closure. Athens International Airport operates in thunderstorms; expect possible short delays on Tuesday evening and check your flight status with your airline.
Will ferries from Piraeus run on 13 and 14 October 2026?
Tuesday daytime sailings are expected to run. From Tuesday evening to Wednesday afternoon, winds of 8–9 Beaufort in the north and central Aegean put Cyclades, Sporades and northern Aegean routes at risk. No sailing ban had been announced as of 12 October; port authorities decide on the day, so check with your ferry operator.
Is the Athens metro affected by the weather warning?
No weather-related changes are announced for the metro, tram or buses. The only ongoing disruption is the scheduled Metro Line 3 night works: six stations between Panormou and Agia Paraskevi close at 21:40 on Sunday–Thursday nights until 15 October and again 18–22 October, with airport trains terminating at Chalandri.
Related guides
- Athens strikes and travel disruptions: live tracker
- Metro Line 3 night closures, 11–22 October 2026
- Athens airport taxi: rates, booking and tips
- Athens airport metro guide
- How the July 2026 storm alert played out
Athens Airport Transfer
Ready to Book Your Taxi?
€40 fixed rate • Meet & greet at arrivals • 24/7 availability
Book Your Transfer →
