Transitional periods are elusive, as they foretell changes. The speed at which they occur in the natural world can be fascinating. When nature decides so, things move fast. To our surprise the autumnal transition on the higher ramparts of Mount Olympus did happen fast. Calm and windless nights at the first week of September gave place to an unusually extended cold and rainy period.
The typical cold and moist autumn evenings with lenticular clouds, overriding Mytikas and Stefani, signaling the Autumnal Transition, which for this year happened with incredible speed. |
Even though July and August were very dry causing considerable water shortage problems not only among the operating refuges, but to the broader area, the air moisture was high, giving the sense of a monsoonal-type of weather. This type of weather start changing by the beginning of September when drier conditions settled in with sunny days and calm night. As the second week of September came in, it brought along excessive amounts of rainfall and unstable weather.
The first rains of the autumn, give new opportunities for many pleasant and scenic hikes in the forest.
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After this long and wet climatic stretch things start coming back to normal and the usually fine September weather came back as I write these words. But as the autumn is proceeding the upper mountain gets colder, while the lower part remains welcoming and “warm”. Forecast calls for the first flakes of snow in the week to arrive.
For those not willing to be exposed to the wind, the rain and the cold of the alpine zone, Mount Olympus offers a variety of pleasant and scenic hikes below the tree line. The long network of Mount Olympus trails and hiking routes with additional information, is presented for the first time in the form of a new
Mount Olympus hiking guide that has published recently.
Aside from the hiking guide, a new and innovative map has also been released (www. Routemaps.gr) and provides invaluable information for many new-opened trails, some mountain biking tours and also displays 3D representations of the mountain.
These new tools give a new dimension on the possibilities that Mount Olympus has to offer, and make each season on the mountain unique and pleasant.
Enjoy!
MS
