The island
of Crete has a temperate
Mediterranean climate meaning it experiences hot, dry summers and mild winters.
Crete has the mildest climate of anywhere in Greece. Summer sees almost no rain,
while winter months, especially December to February, can be quite wet. Average temperaturesare at their peak in July and August at 26 ºC while January and
February see temperatures of 12 ºC on average.
In general, Crete
experiences winter days that can sometimes be rainy and windy and feel quite
cold. January sees the most rainfall, with some parts of the island averaging
14 rainy days in the month. Showers are frequent from November until February.
Winter temperatures average about 12-14ºC. Temperature rarely falls much below
double figures in lowland and coastal Crete
though Heraklion did record a temperature of -0.8 ºC in 2004. In February 2004 Crete did experience an unusually cold period of weather
which saw the whole island dusted in snow. Normally, though, snow is very rare
anywhere on the island apart from in the higher mountains.
Springtime weather on the island can still see a number of rainy
days, especially in the north, though clear and mild days are frequent.
Temperatures can begin to hit the 20s and the sea begins to warm up.
Summer begins in earnest from June. The period June to
September sees almost no rainfall and average temperatures of around 25 ºC.
Daytime temperature in mid summer is often in the low 30s, though can sometimes
reach up to 40 ºC. Summer 2002 saw the mercury rise to a stifling 45 ºC.
Temperatures begin to cool off in late September, and the
now dry island begins to receive some much needed rainfall. Early autumn is a
pleasant time with calm, clear days. The weather becomes more unstable from
November as rainy and windy days increase, though sunny days with temperatures
in the low 20s are not uncommon.
Different parts of Crete
can experience very different weather patterns, due in the main to the weather
barrier created by the mountain ranges that stretch from ease to west across
the island. The south is on average a couple of degrees warmer than the north
and is also drier. Similarly eastern Crete is
drier and warmer than those regions in the west.
Crete straddles two climatic zones – Mediterranean
and North African. Southern Crete falls into
the North African climate zone, enjoying warmer weather and averaging over 2800
hours of sunshine a year. The varying climates on the island are reflected by
the landscape and vegetation. The south can be very arid, especially in summer,
while the north is more green and verdant. Southern Crete’s
similarities with the North African climate are evident in the fact that
African swallows remain year round rather than migrating south.
The mountain regions can experience heavy snowfall in winter
due to their high elevation. Snow can often remain on the higher peaks such as
Mt Ida until June. At these heights there is a distinctly mountainous climate,
with large temperature variations between the seasons. Weather conditions often
change rapidly. This mountain climate is very different from the coastal and
lowland regions on the rest of the island.
The winds that visit Crete
have an important role in shaping the island’s weather patterns. Cold, wet and
windy winter days are experienced when the strong northern winds hit the
island. The sirocco winds arrive from the southeast bringing hot, sand filled
air from the deserts of Africa. When the
sirocco winds arrive the island becomes very dusty and hot and visibility can
fall. However, when they blow in winter they bring warm air and pleasant
temperatures. Southerly winds in the summer months can sometimes bring stifling
temperatures of up to 45 ºC. On other summer days the welcome ‘meltimi’ winds arrive
from the north-west bringing a much needed cooling breeze to the island. When
the wind blows from the east, Crete usually
experiences calm and clear weather.
Sea temperatures around Crete
are generally warm, and bathers can swim comfortably from May right up to
November. The water remains above 20 ºC during these months, peaking at 25 ºC
in high summer. The sea temperature will drop to about 15 ºC in February before
beginning to warm again with the onset of spring.
