Greece is a country known for its perfect climate. It is one the most southern, sunny and warm European countries. It is located between 41 and 34° north latitude in the eastern part of the Mediterranean. The climate of Greece is subtropical Mediterranean, and although there are many significant differences between temperatures during the year between the northern region and the southern Greek islands, we can summarize the following – the summer is long, hot and dry, the winter – quite short and relatively mild.
Spring and autumn are felt relatively weak, especially in the southern parts of the country.
Drama. From the most popular cities in Greece one of the coolest is Drama. Here the climate is very similar to the temperate. Summer is very warm. The first really warm days usually begin in May (22°C).
June is hot (up to about 28°C), July and August there is heat from 30°C but often there are days with temperatures around and above 40 °C. September is very warm, but the temperatures are much bearable.
In October the weather is mild to around 19 – 20°C but summer is gone, although in some days you can forget it. In November is cool – around 12°C.
Then quickly begin to fall the leaves of most trees and everything starts to look quite wintery.
December is cold and dark, sometimes foggy, the weather is about 9°C. The trees are bare. In some days there is even snowfall, but usually melts immediately.
January is the coldest month of the year. Daily temperatures are usually up to 4-5 degrees, but often become lower. Often falls heavy snow, but the mountains north of northern Greece stop the invasion of very cold air masses from Bulgaria.
February is cold, but you can feel the approach of spring. The days are getting milder and longer, although it still can happen to snow. Temperatures are between 5 and 10°C.
March is a typical spring month with temperatures around 11 – 12°C. The trees start to bloom and the days become brighter and sunnier. April is usually warm spring month with temperatures up to about 17°C.
Everything becomes green and in some days temperatures reminiscent of approaching summer.
Thessaloniki. Situated on the Aegean coast, Thessaloniki has a similar climate, but little warmer and sunnier.
Precipitations in Thessaloniki are fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, although August and December are the driest and the rainiest months. From December to February lasts the winter.
The temperature is around 10°C, which is typical for the northern areas of the Mediterranean. During this period the weather can become cold and snowy.
Sometimes in January there is a thick snow cover. March and April are spring months, and during this period temperature rise rapidly from 12°C in early March to about 20 in late April.
May marks the beginning of summer.
Temperatures usually are over 23°C and do not become lower before the mid-October. In summer there are many days when temperatures exceed 40°C. This happens in July and August.
In October and November is autumn. Temperatures fall from 23 degrees in early October to around 11-12 at the end of November.
In December begins the winter. Many plants lose their leaves, but there are many evergreen species.
South of Thessaloniki gradually appears the Greece we know from the tourist magazines.
The climate is noticeably warmer, drier and sunnier. Evergreen plants gradually replaced by deciduous species.
Lefkada, Cephalonia, Zakynthos and Athens have a similar climate, slightly more humid in the west and slightly drier in the east in the region of Athens.
This winter months are December, January and February. The weather is very mild and humid with temperatures around 14 – 15°C.
The spring in Athens and the Ionian Islands region is warm and lasts only one month – March. Degrees are about 16-17.
In April, the summer reminds for it selves – the nights are still cold but the sun during the day makes the temperatures to increase rapidly and they are usually about 19-20 degrees or more.
Summer heat in Athens and the Ionian islands began with the arrival of May. The summer season lasts at least 6 months. In some years the hot days can even begin in April and last until November.
The summer is usually around 32°C, but in July and August heat can reach up to 45°C! November is autumn month with temperatures around 19 – 20°C (similar to the spring).
Crete. This island is the sunniest driest and hottest part of Greece. This is the place in Greece, which receives the most sun light and highest degrees.
Here temperatures are similar to those in Southern California, but with the difference that on the island summers are hotter. On the island of Crete there is not winter. From January to mid-March is about 17°C.
After mid-March temperatures increases rapidly and in April gradually starts the summer with temperatures of about 22°C.
In the next months the temperatures begin to rise rapidly and in July and August are usually not less than 32°C. However often reach 40°C. September and October are very warm, even hot months.
Temperatures in this part of the year are between 25 and 30°C. Noteworthy is November. Then the temperatures are around 23°C which is very warm, especially bearing in mind that in many parts of Europe this month is cold and even it snows.
In this part of Greece there are two seasons – dry and rainy. Dry season begins in April and lasts until the end of September. From October to March is the rainy half of the year.
Greece’s climate is influenced by several factors. The first is the latitude. The country falls within the area of subtropics, which traditionally occupies the territories between 30th and 40th parallel.
The second factor is the location of the country amidst the waters of the Mediterranean. Heated during the summer water emits a lot of warmth during the short winter.
The third factor is the mountain ranges of the Balkan Peninsula. They stop the invasion of cold air masses from the north in winter.
The fourth factor is the proximity to Asia Minor and the distance from the Atlantic Ocean, which is the reason for the scarce rainfall.
Of course there are many other factors that determine the climate of Greece, but these are the main and their influence is greatest.