The Ionian Islands have a history dating back to back to ancient Greece. Today these same islands are a popular vacation and holiday getaway. The Ionian Islands are comprised of six islands that dot the coastline of western Greece. The six islands are Corfu (or Korfu), Paxos, Lefkas, Ithaca, Kafalonia and Zante. There is a seventh island named Kythira that is often thought as being part of the Ionian Island chain but is actually part of the Attica region. All islands share spectacular seasonal weather, beautiful beaches and crystal clear water, yet each has its own charm.
Climate
The Ionian Islands have distinct seasons and weather. While the six island temperatures are similar, with minimum lows of 13C in winter and a maximum of 31C during the summer. The yearly rain averages differ from one island to the next but also follow the same weather patterns. You can expect heavier rains in the winter, lighter rains in the spring and fall and almost no rain during the summer months. Check the latest forecast when making your holiday plans.
Summer
The month of June brings summer and higher temperatures. You can expect an average high temperature of 28C during the day and an average low of 17C at night. Depending upon the island the average rainfall ranges from 7 to 14mm over two days a month. On average you can expect a sea temperature of 23C. The temperature of the sea is slightly higher in the south isles of Kafalonia and Zante. Longer days are a norm with 10 hours of sunshine per day over the course of the month.
July temperatures continue the trend of higher temperatures. The dayâs high temperature averages 31C with night time lows of 17.8C. The rainfall averages no more than 8 to 11mm over a maximum of two days a month. The sea temperatures average a perfect 25C. You will enjoy an average of 12 hours of sunshine throughout the month.
August is almost a carbon copy of July. The daily daytime highs average 31C. The night time low averages 19C to 20C. Once again expect 7mm of rain over one to two days per month. The island of Korfu posts a higher average of 11mm of rain per month. This rainfall is spread evenly so that it averages .4mm per day. The sea temperature averages the same as well at 25C.
Autumn
September brings the end of summer and the weather changes accordingly. Daytime temperature average high drops to 28C. The low night time temperature drops to 17C. The water temperature of the Ionian Sea drops to 24C. The average rainfall increases dramatically to 65mm over seven days.
October brings the balmy days of autumn with lower but comfortable temperatures. The days are shorter with 9 hours of sunshine. The ocean temperature surrounding the Ionian Islands is still a comfortable 22C. The daytime highs average 23C and the night time lows average 13C. The average rainfall of Kafalonia averages 72mm over eight days of the month. This differs with Corfu and its average rainfall of 148mm over eleven days.
November ends the autumn months with cooler temperatures and increased rain. The average daytime temperature is 18.6C. The average night time temperature drops to 10C. The rainfall increases to an average 167mm spread over fourteen days. The sea temperature drops to 19C. The amount of sunshine also falls to 4 hours over the course of a day. Rainfall averages 163mm over fourteen days.
Winter
December and the holidays bring cooler days, cooler nights and the highest rainfall averages of the year. The daytime temperatures average a brisk 15C while the night time temperatures average 6.8C. The sea temperature drops as well to 16C. Sunshine hours drop to 2 hours over the course of the short winter days. However, the lower temperatures bring a hidden bonus. Transportation and the price of the resorts drop accordingly. Check the latest forecasts for the best weather and enjoy a holiday along the beach or coastal hills.
The mild winter is already subsiding with the coming of January. Daytime temperatures remain low with an average temperature of 14C and a night time average temperature of 4C. The sea temperature averages 15C. However, rainfall averages drop to 98mm over the course of twelve days while the amount of sunshine increases to 4 hours over the course of the day.
February maintains the cool temperature averages but the day lengthens to 5 hours of sunshine. The average daytime temperature is 14C. The average night time temperature averages is 5C. The amount of precipitation drops to 69mm over twelve days. The ocean temperature stays at a cool 15C. There is on average one foggy day a month and no snow.
Spring
March brings the arrival of spring and the revival of the islands. The pubs are still empty and the lack of tourists all the islands to repair themselves from winter. Temperature rises to an average of 17C during the day. The night temperatures rise to an average temperature of 7C. The Ionian Sea temperature drops to an average of 14C. The sunshine hours increase to 7 hours during the day. The average rainfall drops to 50mm over ten days.
April brings spring into full bloom as the island awakens. The days maintain 7 hours of sunshine as the average temperature during the day rises to 19C. The night time average temperature rises as well to 9C. It still rains 50mm during nine days on average. You still can enjoy 7 hours of sunshine during the daylight. The temperature of the sea rises to 17C.
May brings the warmer temperatures that bring people back to the beaches. The temperature average rises to 24C during the day and averages 13C during the night hours. Yachts appear as the sea temperature rises to 21C. More sunshine warms the islands as the hours of daylight increases to 9 hours a day. Rain has dropped to 32mm over the course of only four days. The summer hasnât begun but tourists are already beginning to yacht, swim and enjoy the nightlife. The amount of rainfall and peak temperatures may vary slightly from island to island. Each island has its own flavour. Plan ahead. Check the weather for the Ionian Island of your choice.