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Greece is located in the eastern Mediterranean, and thanks to its position it enjoys the classic Mediterranean climate, which presents mild and rainy winters and hot and very arid summers. In summer the temperatures are mitigated by the constant blowing of the “Etesian (Meltem)”, the typical wind of the Greek islands, which blows particularly intense in the Cyclades archipelago.
Along the coast and in the islands the winter is very mild, while in the interior and mountainous areas is cold, the rains are concentrated in winter and autumn, while summer is very hot and dry with temperatures often exceed 30°C.
A MILD BUT WINDY CLIMATE
The warmest period occurs during the last days of July and early August when the average maximum temperature varies from 29°C to 35°C. The maximum temperatures are mitigated by refreshing sea breeze along the coastal areas and from the north winds that blow mainly in the Aegean.
The rains fall across the country mainly in the winter months between October and February. Their amount is rather low in the islands of small size, especially in the Cyclades archipelago, in which it sometimes does not exceed 400 mm per year, while in the other archipelagoes have medium varying between 500 mm and 800 mm, but in the western mountains of Crete may exceed 1200 mm per year.
In the east of mainland Greece, the rainfall averages varying between 500 mm and 800 mm, but in the Athens area we have an average of only 400 mm per year. The western part of mainland Greece, the western Peloponnese and the Ionian Islands are wettest, here we have an average value of annual rainfall ranging from 800 mm to 1200 mm, but in the mountains of Epirus and Pindos will also exceed 1600 mm per year.
The sea water temperature in Greece varies between 17 ° C in the winter months and 27 ° C in August.
WHEN TO GO TO GREECE
The best months for a trip to Greece are the spring months (April-June) and September to October. The climate of Greece in August and July is very hot, but these are the preferred months for vacationers.
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THE CLIMATE OF GREECE: CLIMATE TABLES
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| ATHENS (110 meters) | ||||
| Month | Average low (°C) | Average high (°C) | Precip. (mm) | Precip. days |
| January | 6,8 | 13,3 | 56,9 | 12,6 |
| February | 6,8 | 13,9 | 46,7 | 10,4 |
| March | 8,8 | 16,6 | 40,7 | 12,2 |
| April | 11,7 | 20,0 | 30,8 | 8,1 |
| May | 15,8 | 25,2 | 22,6 | 6,2 |
| June | 20,6 | 30,4 | 10,6 | 3,7 |
| July | 23,6 | 33,4 | 5,8 | 1,9 |
| August | 23,8 | 33,7 | 6,0 | 1,7 |
| September | 19,8 | 28,7 | 13,9 | 3,3 |
| October | 15,9 | 23,5 | 52,6 | 7,2 |
| November | 11,7 | 18,8 | 58,3 | 9,7 |
| December | 8,8 | 14,7 | 69,1 | 12,1 |
| YEAR | 14,5 | 22,7 | 414,1 | 87,1 |
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| HERAKLION (CRETE) (15 meters) | ||||
| Month | Average low (°C) | Average high (°C) | Precip. (mm) | Precip. days |
| January | 10,7 | 16,1 | 91,5 | 10,1 |
| February | 10,6 | 16,5 | 77,4 | 9,1 |
| March | 11,5 | 18,1 | 57,4 | 6,9 |
| April | 13,8 | 21,5 | 30,0 | 3,4 |
| May | 16,8 | 25,0 | 15,2 | 1,9 |
| June | 21,5 | 28,3 | 3,2 | 0,5 |
| July | 23,5 | 29,9 | 1,0 | 0,1 |
| August | 23,8 | 29,8 | 0,7 | 0,1 |
| September | 21,2 | 27,1 | 19,5 | 1,3 |
| October | 18,5 | 24,2 | 68,8 | 4,9 |
| November | 15,6 | 21,3 | 58,8 | 6,0 |
| December | 12,8 | 17,7 | 77,1 | 8,9 |
| YEAR | 17,0 | 23,0 | 500,6 | 53,2 |
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| CRETE | ||||
| Month | Sea Water Temperature °C | |||
| January | 17 | |||
| February | 17 | |||
| March | 17 | |||
| April | 18 | |||
| May | 20 | |||
| June | 23 | |||
| July | 25 | |||
| August | 26 | |||
| September | 25 | |||
| October | 22 | |||
| November | 20 | |||
| December | 18 | |||
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