Crete is one of the most popular Greek islands to visit and is located on the cusp of North Africa and the Mediterranean, giving it fabulous weather conditions and almost year round heat. You’ll be hard pressed to find a bad time of year to travel to this ancient and charming island, but there are pros and cons for visiting in each season.
Crete is 160 miles wide, giving it a lot of diversity from windy coasts to snowy mountain tops. Here’s everything you’ll need to know about the climate in Crete for your next holiday.
Spring
Winter turns into spring by April and now the sun is back, with an average of six hours of sunshine in April and eight in May. You can also start to get out the sunscreen and hats again as temperatures in spring shoot up to around 20 to 23°C.
Rainfall also starts to drop and by May you’re bound to have straight sunny days with odd overcast periods. If you stay in the north part of the island, like Crete’s second largest town Chania, you may experience some strong winds. But in the building heat of spring it’s a welcome breeze and great for wind and kitesurfing conditions.
Summer
The months from June to September are Crete’s summer and the most popular time to visit the island. Temperatures during these months sky rocket with averages between 25 and 30°C. In the south though temperatures have been known to get as high as 40°C, as this region is affected by hot winds from the Sahara Desert and north Africa. You’ll also see a spike in humidity in the central regions, which don’t benefit from the coastal winds.
Summer is the ideal time for any beach holiday and is also great for those nights out on the town. In the evening temperatures cool off to around 20°C, perfect weather for strolling through the restaurant and bar quarters. The summer months are known for getting up to 12 hours of sunshine a day, giving you plenty of time to sightsee and soak up the rays on the coast.
Autumn
The Autumn months, classed as October and November, can be a great time to travel if you want to avoid some of the scorching heat and busy crowds that summer attracts. You’ll still enjoy warm weather with temperatures ranging from 17 to 24°C, ideal for doing a little bit of sightseeing and checking out some ancient cities and historic landmarks.
If you’re a beach lover the coasts are quieter this time of year, but there’s less sunshine to enjoy them with – October sees six hours of sunshine a day and November three. So even though it might still be hot outside, you won’t be seeing Mr Sun quite so often as in summer.
Another thing to keep in mind for late-Autumn is that this is the start of the island’s rainy season, so holidays during this time might be dampened by occasional rainfall and moderate thunderstorms.
Winter
During the day temperatures are still warm, and hover around 17°C, while at night they can drop to around 8°C. If you are visiting in these months make sure to bring some warm clothes for any evening strolls or nights out. Snowfall is not common during the winter season, but in the mountain ranges of central Crete you may see snow peaks among the clouds. The sunlight each day tends to stay around four hours, and due to the blustery wet weather, beach holidays should probably wait it out till spring.
Have you been on a holiday to this Greek island? What’s been your experience with the weather? Let us know in the comments section below.
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