Climate and Weather of Greece
The biggest part of Greece enjoys a Mediterranean climate that is characterized by mild winters and dry hot summers. However in the higher parts of Greece you can experience pretty cold periods during winter. In some parts of Greece it is even possible to ski.Snowfall during the winter months is not only possible on the mainland and mountains, even the island of Crete sometimes has to deal with a layer of snow. The capital Athens is even regularly paralyzed by heavy snowfall during winter months. The weather however can turn very quickly, with temperatures rising above 10°C within 24 hours and all the snow disappearing as quickly as it came. On the islands the weather in winter is often mild and temperatures are usually between 5°C and 15°C.
Most of Greece enjoys warm weather during summer caused by its Mediterranean climate. As a result, Greece has quite long and warm summers in which it sometimes does not rain for weeks. The best time to visit Greece and the Greek Islands begins in May, when the mean temperature is 21°C and rainfall is less than 15 mm.
The summer sun season continues until October, although in that month on some islands it can get colder, windier or wetter. July has monthly average temperatures of 31°C and rainfall less than 5 mm in Corfu. Especially the months of July and August are sun-drenched on the Greek islands.
September, with an average temperature of 28°C and less than 10 mm of rain in Rhodes is still a great month to visit. Also the first two weeks of June have perfect, sunny and warm weather, with little clouds or rain. Most rain falls in winter between November and February.
Are you interested in more detailed information for various cities in Greece?
Please select the city you plan to visit, or one closest to your destination. For each selected city, you will see the following graphs:
1. Yearly average minimum and maximum temperatures
2. Monthly averages of precipitation throughout the year (rainfall, snow etc)
3. Monthly average hours of sunshine throughout the year
Additionally, some pages provide historical weather data such as humidity, wind speed, and water temperature.