Vegetation

The climate is typically Mediterranean Greek. The Mediterranean climate dominates throughout the country, although Macedonia and Thessaly plains have clear certain continental. However, due to the mountainous climate there is a clear asymmetry between the windward slopes (west) and leeward (east) of the prevailing winds. Furthermore, the constant presence of the sea softens seasonal temperature extremes.
The action centers are affecting Greece, the polar front brings cold air masses from the Mediterranean and humid and the European continent. The Azores High, which comes in the summer, and brings masses of warm, moist air, and the Siberian anticyclone, which comes in winter and cold air masses channels and dry.
The summers are long and warm, but not excessive, thanks to the action of sea breezes and fresh winds from the interior, which blow in summer. Winters are short and not too cold, thanks to the moderating action of the sea. Frosts are few, and average rainfall. The average seasons, spring and autumn are rainy and warm, but its features are very irregular. In autumn cold drops are frequent episodes of torrential rains and flash which are produced by the temperature difference between the sea, very hot, and the arrival of the first polar air masses in height.
Average temperatures range from 7 ° C in the coldest month (January) and 27 ° C for the hottest month (July) in Athens. In the islands these values ​​are moderate, with examples such as Crete, with 10 º C in January and 25 ° C in July, and are extreme in the continental interior with values ​​as Thessaloniki (Macedonia), with 2 ° C in January and 23 º C in July.
Rainfall is low, despite the presence marina. In Athens barely reach the 330 mm per year, in Crete reach the 560 mm and 375 mm to Thessaloniki. Something greater precipitation in the mountains, and in the eastern facade, where over 1,000 mm. Very few of these rainfall as snow, even in the mountains.
Vegetation is typical of Mediterranean forest Greece, which dominates the oak, oak and chestnut. The abundance of limestone are frequent causes of Cliserie investments, and appears above the oak oak. Above find conifers, beech, and alpine meadow. However, the natural vegetation can only find in the most inaccessible mountains, like Mount Olympus, Pindus, and certain points of Arcadia and Peloponnese. The Greek space suffers organized anthropic pressure for thousands of years, and that has determined, largely, the distribution of natural species. Many are degraded areas to deforestation, in which species predominate subserial of garrigue, Mediterranean maquis and steppe. In these areas abound thorny and aromatic species typical of Mediterranean forest, as the kermes, thyme, lavender and rosemary. Greece has not reached operating methods of the Mediterranean forest and the meadow, so characteristic in other Mediterranean regions.
Around the rivers appears abundance gallery forest of poplars, cottonwoods, elms, and other riparian species, typical of the Mediterranean.