The climate of Cephalonia (or Kefalonia), a Greek island of the Ionian Sea, belonging to the
amounts to about 800 millimeters (31.5 in) per year, and is concentrated in the period from October to April, while in summer, it rains very rarely.
In the interior, there are hills and mountains, which culminate in Mount Ainos, 1,628 meters (5,341 feet) high. The mountain slopes are greener and covered with forests.
, from December to mid-March, is mild but rainy, especially in December and January. However, there is also a fair amount of sunny days. The island is sheltered from cold spells, so much so that it almost never snows at sea level, although it can sometimes snow in the mountains of the interior. However, a cold wind from the north can sometimes blow, and in the winter months, the minimum temperature at sea level can drop to 0 °C (32 °F).
, from mid-March to May, is mild; the rains become gradually rarer, and sunny days become more and more frequent. May is a good month, before the summer heat.
, from June to mid-September, is hot and sunny: the maximum temperature often exceeds 30 °C (86 °F), and it can even reach 35 °C (95 °F), especially in July and August; at the worst, it can reach 40 °C (104 °F). Luckily, sea breezes blow, providing relief, at least when the heat is not excessive, and in any case, you can cool yourself in the sea. This part of Greece, overlooking the Ionian Sea, is outside the area where the annoying but cooling Meltemi blows; as a consequence, here, the sea is warmer (see below).
, from mid-September to November, is mild (and initially, quite warm as well) and rainy. In October, there can still be many sunny days.
in Kefalonia is great in late spring and summer, when clear skies prevail. In contrast, from November to mid-March, sunny days alternate with periods of bad weather.
in Kefalonia is high enough for swimming from July to September, while it is still a bit cool in June.
If you want to go on excursions on the island, the month of May or the first half of October are preferable in order to avoid the heat, at least at low altitude, while the summer is fine for mountain climbing.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
11.7 °C, with a minimum of
8.9 °C and a maximum of
14.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
0 °C in January 2002.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
17.5 °C. However, it reached
20.6 °C in January 2015.
Precipitation amounts to
105 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 40% of the time.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
12.6 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
15.9 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
February is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
11.8 °C, with a minimum of
8.9 °C and a maximum of
14.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-2 °C in February 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
18.5 °C. However, it reached
23.4 °C in February 2016.
Precipitation amounts to
85 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 46% of the time.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
13.4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
15.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
March is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
13.3 °C, with a minimum of
10.3 °C and a maximum of
16.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
5.5 °C. However, it dropped to
2 °C in March 2011.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20.5 °C. However, it reached
24 °C in March 2001.
Precipitation amounts to
55 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 50% of the time.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
12.6 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
15.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
April is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
15.7 °C, with a minimum of
12.3 °C and a maximum of
19.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
8 °C. However, it dropped to
4 °C in April 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
24.5 °C. However, it reached
32 °C in April 2018.
Precipitation amounts to
50 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 61% of the time.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
11.9 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
16.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
May is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
19.5 °C, with a minimum of
15.6 °C and a maximum of
23.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
11 °C. However, it dropped to
9 °C in May 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
29 °C. However, it reached
36 °C in May 2020.
Precipitation amounts to
20 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 20 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 10 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 70% of the time.
The average humidity is 70%.
The average wind speed is of
11.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
19 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cool for swimming.
June is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
23.4 °C, with a minimum of
19.3 °C and a maximum of
27.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
15 °C. However, it dropped to
13 °C in June 2012.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
33.5 °C. However, it reached
36 °C in June 2012.
Precipitation amounts to only
5 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 50 minutes. So the days are long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 11 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 74% of the time.
The average humidity is 67%.
The average wind speed is of
11.4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
22.5 °C. Therefore, the sea can be considered barely acceptable for swimming.
July is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
26 °C, with a minimum of
21.7 °C and a maximum of
30.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
18 °C. However, it dropped to
15.8 °C in July 2017.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
35 °C. However, it reached
40 °C in July 2000.
Precipitation amounts to
10 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 12 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 83% of the time.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is of
12.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
25 °C. Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.
August, the hottest month of the year, is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
26.6 °C, with a minimum of
22.3 °C and a maximum of
30.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
19 °C. However, it dropped to
17 °C in August 2001.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
35.5 °C. However, it reached
39 °C in August 2007.
Precipitation amounts to
10 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 12 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 88% of the time.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is of
11.6 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
26.3 °C. Therefore, the sea is pleasantly warm and allows long swims.
September is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
23.6 °C, with a minimum of
19.8 °C and a maximum of
27.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
16 °C. However, it dropped to
11 °C in September 2015.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
31.5 °C. However, it reached
34 °C in September 2020.
Precipitation amounts to
55 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 10 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 81% of the time.
The average humidity is 69%.
The average wind speed is of
10.9 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
25.3 °C. Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.
October is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
20.3 °C, with a minimum of
16.9 °C and a maximum of
23.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
12.5 °C. However, it dropped to
9 °C in October 2011.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
28 °C. However, it reached
33 °C in October 1991.
Precipitation amounts to
80 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 7 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 63% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.8 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
23 °C. Therefore, the sea can be considered barely acceptable for swimming.
November is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
16.7 °C, with a minimum of
13.7 °C and a maximum of
19.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
9 °C. However, it dropped to
5 °C in November 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
24 °C. However, it reached
29 °C in November 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
140 mm, distributed over 11 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 5 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 50% of the time.
The average humidity is 74%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
12.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
20.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cool for swimming.
December is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
13.2 °C, with a minimum of
10.4 °C and a maximum of
16 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
5 °C. However, it dropped to
-1 °C in December 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20 °C. However, it reached
22 °C in December 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
190 mm, distributed over 13 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 35 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 42% of the time.
The average humidity is 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
12.6 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
17.5 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.