the Climate of Greece

the Geographical position of Greece in basin of Mediterranean sea defines one of the basic natural features of this country - the Mediterranean climate with dry hot summer and cool rainy winter.

in the Summer marine tropical air fills in all range of the Mediterranean. Pritekajushchie from the north and the northwest rather cold air masses gradually get warm and attain Greece in the form of constant dry winds of northern rhumbs which have gained at ancient Greeks the name etezii, accompanied by clear weather. These winds bring a drought. Cyclonic irruptions are very rare in the summer, so that overcast does not exceed 10-20 %, and rains practically does not happen.

the Most droughty and hottest months - July and August. At this time the average temperature of air on lowlands compounds 25,5  °C - 28  °C, but it is quite often lifted to 40  °C - 45  °C. At coasts summer heat is softened with marine breezes. In a distance from the sea high summer temperatures are tolerated rather easily thanks to exclusive dryness of air. Nevertheless Greeks prefer to spend the hottest season in the north of the country - in Macedonia, in the small towns which have been had at altitude 500 - 600  m above sea level.

In October air temperature in all terrain of the country gradually decreases, and from the second half of November weather spoils, rains begin.

In the Winter in Greece the great bulk of deposits, usually in the form of strong showers falls out. At this time the polar front is hauled down from more northern latitudes in region of Mediterranean sea where cyclone separators educe. Weather very unstablis - rainy days are replaced by solar clear weather, winds reverse direction often, but winds of southern rhumbs predominate. Irruptions of air of moderate latitudes sometimes bring a frost and snow to Northern Greece up to Aegean sea.

In the Winter and in transitive seasons blows awesome borej - a crude and cold north. Penetrating through the mounts restricting Greece from the north, borej it is introduced into warm air masses therefore there are strong showers, and at northern coast of Aegean sea and in mounts - snowfalls.

In Southern and the Central Greece in the winter, in the spring and in the autumn winds of the western and southern directions which are caused by transit of cyclone separators from Atlantic ocean through Mediterranean sea are frequent. From winds of the western and southern rhumbs are especially original notos and sirokko.

Notos (or nefiros when goes from the West) - the warm marine wind bringing deposits. This wind as is frequent, as borej. Blows usually one-two day and then it is replaced cold northwest and a north - boreem. It is formed notos in western or of an average part of the Mediterranean. Depending on a rule of the centre of the cyclone separator, that blows from the West, from the south, sometimes even from the southeast. If notos blows from the West, deposits and overcast are at the western coast, and to the east from Pindus the root clear. At a southern bearing of apparent wind of a thunder-storm and strong showers are observed almost across all Greece, air becomes wet, closeness is felt.

Sirokko - a southeast wind - a torrent of the tropical air captureed by cyclone separators in average or east of a part of the Mediterranean. Sirokko it is usually dated for powerful cyclone separators, capable so sweepingly to throw air masses, that they have not time to variate the properties. Such cyclone separators happen in transition periods, are most frequent in April and September. Typical sirokko - hot (to 35  °C even at night) and very dry wind often bearing red or white a dust from the North Africa.

the Average temperature of air of the coldest month - variates January from 4  °C in the north of the country to 13  °C in a southern part of Aegean sea. In the Western Greece winter is much warmer, than in East: the difference in monthly average temperatures of January at the same latitude between western and east part of the Greek peninsula compounds 1,5 - 4-5  °C.

Below null the thermometer style is hauled down in mounts: in the north - at altitudes more than 700-800 m, in the south - at altitudes more than 1400-1500 m. On lowlands happen short frosts and snow fall, but snow lays some hours.

Monthly average temperature of air (°s)

Monthly average temperature of water (°s)