Climate - Kalymnos (Greece)

In Kalymnos, an island of the eastern Aegean Sea a short distance from the Turkish coast, and belonging to the Dodecanese group, the climate is Mediterranean, with mild, rainy winters and hot, sunny summers.
The daily average temperature ranges from 11 °C (52 °F) in January to 27 °C (80.5 °F) in August. Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation amounts to 730 millimeters (28.5 inches) per year and is concentrated between October and March; it often occurs in the form of thunderstorm, and sometimes can be abundant. In summer, it almost never rains. Owing to the length of the dry period, the landscape is arid, even in the inland hills, whose highest point is at about 600 meters (2,000 feet) above sea level. Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to mid-March, is mild enough: daytime temperatures hover about 14/15 °C (57/59 °F). The rains are quite frequent, but there are also sunny days.
Sometimes there can be cold periods, with maximum temperatures of 5/7 °C (41/45 °F). The wind can increase the feeling of cold. Every now and then, you can even see a bit of snow, though usually without accumulation, at least at sea level.

Spring, from mid-March to May, is mild, and it becomes progressively warmer over the weeks, with more sunshine and less rain.

Summer, from June to mid-September, is hot and sunny. The Meltemi, the north-west wind, blows by mid-May, cooling the air, but with lower intensity than on the central islands of the Aegean Sea. In addition, sometimes, there are some periods of intense heat, with highs around 36/37 °C (97/99 °F) or more.

Autumn, from mid-September to November, is often sunny and pleasantly warm at the beginning, and then, it gradually becomes milder, and also rainier.



The amount of sunshine in Kalymnos is great in summer, when clear skies prevail, and it's very good in late spring, while in autumn and winter, there are sunny periods, but also other period characterized by clouds and rain.
Here are the average daily sunshine hours.

The sea is warm enough for swimming from July to September, and reaches 24.5 °C (76 °F) in August. Here are the average sea temperatures.

Best Time

The best time to go to Kalymnos for a beach holiday runs from June to mid-September. In early June, it can still be a little cool in the evening: for safety, you can bring a sweatshirt.
In May, not only the sea is still a bit cold, but also the air can be cool for sunbathing, at least on certain days.
If you plan to go hiking, the best time is spring, especially the month of May, since in summer, it can be hot. You can also choose autumn, especially the month of October, whereas in November, it's cooler and rainfall is more frequent.

Back to the Dodecanese.