It is true that winter temperatures on Crete are considerably warmer than Northern Europe. There are also plenty of sunshine hours and the sky is generally blue. In the sun, it can feel quite warm most days however it can still be chilly when there’s no sun and it’s windy.
Snow can be seen on the White Mountains from the end of November, usually after some nighttime rain which falls as snow up there. Pockets of snow have also remained as late as June especially on the north face. Locations near to the coast are generally warmer than in the mountains due to the warmth of the sea and lower altitude. It’s not necessary to go very high to realise that height above sea level has an affect on the temperature. In summer, a higher location could be more pleasant than the coast.
Another feature of the winter weather is wind. Crete is an island in the Mediterranean Basin surrounded by a lot of water. Weather can come from a number of directions. Generally, warmer air comes up from the south and the Sahara. This can also be accompanied by orange dust which gets everywhere.
It can feel very cold when the wind is from the north and there’s no sunshine to take off the edge. When the sun is shining, it can be very pleasant to sit somewhere protected from the wind but facing south. Only when the sun disappears or you move back into the wind, does it seem cold.
The coldest months are generally January and February and the wettest period is usually from December to February. But then it might not rain except in the mountains. Some winters are mild and sunny with hardly any rain. Others can be cold and windy with plenty of rain. There was even snow in Paleochora in 2004.
Generally speaking, someone from Northern Europe will find the winter climate very pleasant but then you should also bring a warm coat and some woolies for any cooler days. Even the warmest, driest winter is likely to have some cold, wet and windy days.
Winter temperature range is 3.1ºC- 25.1ºC
For more seasonal weather statistics please click here
For real time weather information visit the Grammeno Weather Station Website