Today's weather for Rhodes, Greece12th May 2008 04:20

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Weather Overview for Rhodes

Rhodes benefits from a very desirable Mediterranean climate meaning hot sunny summers and mild winters. The island’s 300 days of sunshine per year have helped make it the popular tourist destination it is today.

Summer:

Rhodes enjoys long warm summers where sunshine rules and rainfall is very unlikely. This makes it the main tourist season for the island. June to September can be classed as the summer months, and average daytime temperatures reach up to and above 30°C. In July and August average highs are 31°C and temperature rarely drops below 20°C even at night throughout the summer. Temperatures can though sore into the mid-30s during a hot summers day and have been known to reach 40°C on occasions.

Rain is almost unheard of in the summer months, especially in July and August which average 0.1mm of rain per month. June and September will see only one rainy day per month on average. So expect plenty of sunshine and hot weather during the summer, and make sure to pack your sun cream!

Relief from the hot temperatures of the high summer comes to Rhodes in the form of the Meltimi wind – a wind that blows from the northwest. It prevails from May to October and is strongest between July and September when it is needed most! The main benefit from the wind is felt by the sea making the coastal regions more comfortable than inland.

Autumn:

Autumn in Rhodes is a time of very pleasant temperatures. This makes it a good time to visit the island if you are looking for fewer crowds and want an energetic break – summer can be very hot for cycling around the island, for example! The sea is still warm for swimming too, remaining above 20°C until late November.

October has average daytime highs in the mid-20s and November in the low 20s. Temperatures don’t drop much below the mid-teens at this time either.

The only downfall of an autumn visit is the increased chance of rain. October has five rainy days on average and November seven. This is still low and sun remains in the ascendancy, but don’t be surprised if you get the odd downpour.

Winter:

Winters in Rhodes are mild but wet. On average, over 60% of the island’s annual rainfall falls between December and February. January is the wettest with 14 rainy days on average giving 148mm of rain over the month. However you still get many very pleasant winter days. A sunny day in December can see temperatures reaching up to 20°C. January and February are a little cooler but temperatures rarely drop too far into single figures. In general Rhodes’ ‘winters’ are more like a northern European spring, making it a popular place to escape the cold harsh winters of those regions.

Spring:

Spring is a very favourable time on the island. Again, it’s much quieter than the busy summer months and temperatures are very comfortable. Things start to warm up again from March and average highs are in the high teens. By May daytime temperatures are in the mid 20s. March still sees a decent amount of rainfall, but things are becoming much dryer and by May rain is rare. Spring time is still colourful on the island and the incessant summer sun hasn’t yet dried the landscape. A swim in the sea at this time can be a little bracing as the water doesn’t fully warm up until June.

Inland Rhodes:

These weather tendencies mainly describe the coastal regions of Rhodes, where most people visit. The inland however is hilly, with a highest peak of over 1200m, meaning a slightly different climate to the coastal regions. The hilly regions see more rain as clouds have a greater chance of formulating there. The hills also have the effect of slightly sheltering regions in the south of the island, meaning they are a little warmer on average.

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