Aghia Marina is a small coastal town on the Greek island of Crete. It is located on the north-west coast about 10km west of Chania, the islandâs second largest city.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Aghia Marinaâs climate is classed as Mediterranean, and as such enjoys a long, hot, dry summer and mild winters. For five months during the summer there is virtually no rain, and there is a pronounced rainy season between October and March.
Summer lasts from May to September. Summer arrives in May when average temperatures reach 23°C. Rainfall drops to a mere 13mm, and rain is virtually absent for the following summer months. Ten hours of sunshine per day means May offers summer weather before the peak tourist season.
June sees the real summer weather arrive, with average temperatures hitting 28°C. Average temperatures peak at 29°C in July and August. Temperatures in June, July and August regularly pass 30°C and can push towards 40°C during the hottest part of the day. Dry summer winds known as Meltemia blow in from the north and serve to moderate temperatures somewhat, preventing the heat from getting too uncomfortable.
Visitors can expect 12 or 13 hours of sunshine per day, so there is plenty of time for relaxing on Aghia Marinaâs sandy beach. Should the heat and sun get too much, the clear, shallow waters off the coast are ideal for bathing. Water temperatures are very pleasant and get warmer as summer progresses. Water temperature averages 19°C in May, and this gradually increases to a peak of 25°C in August. Aghia Marinaâs coastal location also serves to reduce humidity, which can be quite high further inland.
September is slightly cooler, but the weather remains hot, sunny and dry.
Autumn (October and November) sees the end of the dry season as rainfall rises sharply. In October and November average rainfall is 77mm. However, much of this rain falls in short, sharp bursts and between these heavy showers the weather can be very summery. October average temperature is 22°C and seven hours of sunshine per day is the average. November is somewhat cooler, but still warm.
Winter (December to February) is wet but not cold. January is the coldest month, but the average temperature is still as high as 14°C - similar to April in London. Rainfall is very high, with 104mm falling in December, 137mm in January and 104mm in February.
Spring (March and April). In March rainfall starts to drop off, falling to 78mm. At the same time, temperatures rise to an average of 16°C. April sees rainy winter and spring weather make way for the dry season as average rainfall drops from the March average to 32mm. Average temperature is 19°C, which means temperatures regularly reach well into the twenties. Eight hours of sunshine per day means the weather can be extremely pleasant. Mini heat waves are common in March and April when hot Saharan winds blow in from the south.