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Hotel Stavris - Chora Sfakion - Crete - Greece

Weather and temperature information
for Sfakia, Crete and Greece

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The weather and climate in Crete:

  • Summer lasts for 6 months
  • 'Winter' for only 2 months
  • The remaining 4 months are divided between spring and fall
  • The pleasant climate of Crete provides sunshine for more than 2800 hours/year.

Greece has a wide range of climate types, ranging from the semi-arid, semi-desert climate of south-eastern Crete to the cold, humid continental climate of Rhodope.

Vegetation and variations in climate are dependent on geographical regions. The multiplicity of plants is exceptional with some 6000 indigenous species having been recorded so far. Over 250 of these flourish in Crete alone. This impressive abundance of flora and fauna arises from Greece's unique geographical location between Europe and Africa and the specific climate of this region, affected by the mountain range crossing the island from east to west and dividing Crete in a northern, typical Mediterranean climate area, and a southern, almost subtropical one.

Higher in the mountains the climate is mountainous. Thus, for instance in Imbros gorge, south-west Crete (Sfakia), one starts at the top with a mountain climate, half way the gorge it's Mediterranean and at the bottom boarding the Libyan Sea subtropical. Flora has adapted itself to this situation, so a wide variety can be found.

Over the year the weather in (South) Crete can be characterised like this:

* March and April: early Spring, with unstable weather. It can be rainy and windy, but also sunny and warm. Temperatures on Crete range from 14 to 25° C

* May and early June: full Spring, with usually sunny weather and some short rain showers. Temperatures range from 25° C early May until low thirties in June. This period is great for outdoors activities, like walking and mountain hiking, or for sunbathing and swimming

* Late June until mid September: full summer, no rain, temperatures in the thirties Celsius. Also in the nights temperature may well stay above 30° C. Winds on the islands, such as Crete, well contribute to the experience of temperature: late afternoon there might be a cooling breeze. More about the winds on Crete here

* Mid September to late October: like Spring again. High twenties Celsius, an occassional rain shower or some clouds. The second period of the year suitable for walking, but also for the beach

* Late October to early January: unstable Autumn weather, ranging from sunny and warm days with about 25° C to some rainy, cloudy and windy days with 16° C. It might be possible to comfortably swim in the sea until early January, since the water still is warm. See also our daily winter report 2002 - 2003

* Early January until mid March: more rain and wind, sometimes very sunny. Temperatures from 10 - 20° C.

  South Crete has a warmer climate than North Crete:
higher temperatures, less wind and less rain

Please note the above description is a general weather impression. Actual conditions may vary from day to day.

The Greek names for the seasons:
Ánixi (=Spring), Kalokéri (=Summer), Fthinóporo (=Autumn), Ximónas (=Winter)

Live and Historic Sfakia - Crete Weather Webcam

Current weather situation for Crete, with temperatures in °C and wind directions
Weather Station Chania
provided by National Observatory of Athens
Weather Station Vrysses
provided by National Observatory of Athens
Weather Station Samaria gorge
provided by National Observatory of Athens
Weather Station Paleochora
provided by National Observatory of Athens
Supervised by Municipality of Pelekanos
Current temperature Chania, Crete
Sun and Moon in West Crete
Click for Souda, Greece Forecast
Current Temperature Chart (Athens)

Source: National Observatory of Athens
Updated every 10 minutes
Meteo Crete
Weather forecast for Sfakia
(use at one's own risk)
Weather report Sfakia - Crete
Monthly climatological data Paleochora, southwest coast Crete

Monthly report for Chora Sfakion, southwest Crete

Month Av.Temp.
in C (max-min)
Av.Temp.
Water in C
Sunshine
Hrs
Rainy
days
January 17,2 - 8,8 16 4,3 6
February 16,7 -9,1 15 4,9 7
March 17,3 - 9,8 16 5,9 8
April 20,1 - 13,6 17 8,8 6
May 26,7 - 17,9 20 10,8 2
June 29,5 - 20,3 23 11,9 1
July 31,2 - 22,9 25 13,6 0
August 31,4 - 23,1 26 12,8 1
September 27,8 - 21,1 26,5 11,4 1
October 26,7 - 17,6 24 9,5 4
November 23,1 - 14,2 22 7,5 4
December 17,9 - 11,7 18 5,5 8

© Hotel Stavris, Chora Sfakion, Crete, Greece. Source: 1999, our own measurements

Extreme temperatures in Crete over the past 300 years:

  • minimum: -1° C
  • maximum: +48° C

Monthly averages for Chania city: click here

 

Click below for updated weather info (meteo Crète)

Other side of the Libyan Sea: Tobruk, Libya, directly opposite of Chora Sfakion. The actual weather in Sfakia is between the observations of Souda, Chania and Tobruk. With winds from the north, Sfakia is warmer, from the south Tobruk.

Souda, Northwest Crete
Tobruk,
North Libya

click for forecast ^

Poseidon: Greek weather forecast:
many detailed options

European Meteorological Satellite EUMETSAT

Animated weather for Crete

National Observatory of Athens:

The data presented here are collected from the meteorological station of the Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, located at Penteli area, Athens, Greece

These charts are updated every 10 minutes.

 

National Observatory of Athens:

Daily forecasts are issued for Europe, Greece and Athens area by two models: BOLAM and MM5.
Detailed forecasts are issued for 40 major Greek cities, as well as for selected locations over the Greek seas (sailing forecasts). Forecasts are presented as maps, time-plots, word text and outlook tables. Surface observations over Europe and Greece, satellite pictures, satellite winds and sferics are also presented.

Surface observations over Greece:

The most recently observed weather conditions for Greece are available here. Select a location from the map to display the latest observation from that location

Souda Bay, Chania, Crete : 5 day outlook
European weather
Historical weather

Custom Search

Links
  • Interesting article about what could happen to Crete
    when the climate gets hotter: Desertification
    (=The transformation of arable or habitable land to desert, as by a change in climate or destructive land use)
  • Greek report on climate change: Hellenic Ministry for Environment
  • Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development (IERSD)
  • Climate change in Greece: National Observatory of Athens (NOA)

 

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WHAT'S NEW ABOUT SFAKIA and CRETE:
Practical information for visitors to Sfakia
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hand Ferry timetables southwest coast 2009
hand Bettina's Current Photo Report from Sfakia 2009
Crete-Kreta-Kriti.com: Cretan links
General Links | Accommodation Links
hand Airports Crete: departures and arrivals 2009
hand Around West Crete Photos June 2009 by Willem
hand Searching 100 churches in Chora Sfakion by George
hand Large photo Samaria gorge June 2009 by Willem
hand GPS Maps of Crete and Greece 2009
hand Large photo Chania harbour June 2009 by Willem
Photos Summit Pachnes Oct 2008 by Wiltrud
hand Videos of Sfakia and Crete selected highlights
hand Photos Southwest Coast Mountains 2009 by Michael
Around Sfakia and Loutro Oct 2008 by Valerie
Greek and Cretan Easter and Christmas Customs
hand Photos Underwater World of Sfakia by Damoulis
hand Photos Sfakia and Crete in April 2009 by Wiltrud
Walk Agios Ioannis - Selouda - Agios Pavlos 2008
hand All web sites of Chora Sfakion
Walk to Mount Gingilos by Herre 2007
Photos Sfakia & Crete June/July 2008 by Angelika
Crete Photos May 2008 by Mary and Denis
3D Views of the White Mountains by Steve
Loutro & uphill Photos by Herre 2007
Panorama Photos by Patrick
Submit your own Cretan Holiday Pictures
Wolfgang Kistler's Sfakia Picture Gallery
The Olive Tree and Olive Oil
Spring flowers in April 2007 by Wiltrud Two mountain walks in Sfakia June 2008 by Colin
Maps of Crete and the region of Sfakia Pictures of Frangokastello
Pachnes Summit Panorama Map by Steve Paleochora Photos by Fabrice
Visit to Mouri, highest village of Sfakia by George Sfakia 1968 - 2003 france swiss documentary by Jean-Jacques
Sfakia in October 2007 by George
Easter in Sfakia by George
Sfakia and Crete Picture Galleries >3350 pictures
Greek Name Days Listing: Calendar and Alphabetical
Gavdos island Photos by Steve Statistics Incoming Tourists Greece
Ian's Mountain Hiking Pictures of Sfakia
part 1 - part 2 Nov 2005
Diloti - Greek Card Game
History of Crete updated by George
Birding Report Frangokastello Nov 2005
Pictures of Sfakia 1 - 2 - 3 Oct 2005
Greece's position in the European Union -
compared with 13 other countries
Interactive Satellite Map of Crete How the Cretan Gorges were formed
3D Satellite Images of Crete Over 1700 links to Cretan web sites
4 Large Maps of Crete - road map Crete Top 100 Cretan Travel Sites
Raki - Tsikoudia : The Cretan Spirit Winter in Sfakia Photo Reports 2002 - 2003
Sfakian Dialect by Peter Trudgill Herbs and spices of Crete
Winds of Crete The Sphakia Survey: archaeological project
Cretans outside Crete Sfakia People and the Dorians
Social and cultural comparison
of Greece and other European countries
Map of the village of Chora Sfakion / Khóra Sfakíon
hand City maps of Chania - Rethymno - Heraklion
Tavli - Greece's National Game Pictures of Samaria Gorge and Imbros Gorge

Vote for us in the Top 100 Cretan Travel Sites!

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Last update: 28 June, 2009 .

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