In Kythira (also called Cythera or Kythera), an island located south of the Peloponnese and belonging to the group of the
, with mild, rainy winters and hot, sunny summers. The daily average temperature ranges from 11 °C (52 °F) in January and February to 27 °C (80.5 °F) in July and August.
In inland areas, there are some hills, at an average altitude of 250/350 meters (800/1,100 feet) above sea level. The maximum altitude is about 500 meters (1,600 feet). The airport is at 320 meters (1,050 ft).
To the southeast of the island, halfway between Kythira and Crete, there is a smaller island, called Antikythira.
is not abundant, since it amounts to 530 millimeters (20.8 inches) per year, however, it is concentrated between October and March. In winter, when it can occur as thunderstorm, it is relatively abundant. In practice, in summer, it never rains.
, from December to mid-March, is mild and quite rainy, especially in December and January. In periods of bad weather, a strong wind can blow. However, there is a moderate amount of sunny days too.
Despite the southern latitude, cold air masses from the continent can at times arrive here, so there can be cold and windy days, with maximum temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F). Snow is very rare, and occurs only during the most intense cold waves, such as that of March 1987. On colder nights, the temperature usually drops to around freezing (0 °C or 32 °F), although it dropped to -4 °C (25 °F) in February 2004.
, from mid-March to May, is mild; in this season, the rains become gradually rarer, and sunny days become increasingly more frequent.
, from June to mid-September, is hot and sunny, but also breezy. Typically, the air is not very humid because of the prevalence of the northern wind, which comes from the mainland.
Usually, the maximum temperature hovers around 30 °C (86 °F), although there may be hot periods, normally of short duration, with temperatures reaching 36/37 °C (97/99 °F); occasionally, they can reach higher values. During the exceptional heatwave of July 1998, the temperature reached as high as 43.4 °C (110.1 °F). Between late July and early August 2021, the temperature fluctuated between 38 and 42 °C (100 and 107.5 °F) for seven consecutive days.
, from mid-September to November, is mild (and initially warm enough) and rainy. In October, there may still be many sunny days.
in Cythera is great in summer, when clear skies prevail, but it is also good in spring, when days with clear skies are already frequent. On the other hand, from November to February, sunny days alternate with periods of bad weather.
in Kythira is high enough for swimming from July to September, while in June, it is still a bit cool.
to go to Kythira for a beach holiday goes from June to mid-September. In the first half of June, it can still be a bit cool in the evening: for safety, you can bring a sweatshirt.
If you want to visit the villages, or to go in search of the remains of ancient Greece, or of the Byzantine and Venetian monuments, you can choose spring, especially in May, since in summer, it can be very hot (though rarely enough). You can also choose autumn, until mid-October, while later, the chance of rainy and windy days increases.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
11.1 °C, with a minimum of
9.2 °C and a maximum of
12.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-2 °C in January 2015.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
16.5 °C. However, it reached
19.2 °C in January 2009.
Precipitation amounts to
75 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 40% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
21.4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
15.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
February, the coldest month of the year, is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
11 °C, with a minimum of
9.1 °C and a maximum of
13 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
4 °C. However, it dropped to
-4 °C in February 2004.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
17.5 °C. However, it reached
23.2 °C in February 2016.
Precipitation amounts to
65 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 46% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
22.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
14.9 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
March is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
12.6 °C, with a minimum of
10.6 °C and a maximum of
14.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
5.5 °C. However, it dropped to
1 °C in March 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20 °C. However, it reached
27.4 °C in March 2001.
Precipitation amounts to
50 mm, distributed over 7 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 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
22.3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
15 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
April is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
15.4 °C, with a minimum of
13.1 °C and a maximum of
17.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
8.5 °C. However, it dropped to
4.8 °C in April 1995.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
23.5 °C. However, it reached
29.3 °C in April 2013.
Precipitation amounts to
25 mm, distributed over 4 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 69%.
The average wind speed is of
19.7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
14.9 °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
16.8 °C and a maximum of
22.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
12.5 °C. However, it dropped to
9 °C in May 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
28.5 °C. However, it reached
36 °C in May 2020.
Precipitation amounts to
10 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 5 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 10 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 71% of the time.
The average humidity is 63%.
The average wind speed is of
17.5 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
16.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.
June is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
24.2 °C, with a minimum of
21.2 °C and a maximum of
27.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
16 °C. However, it dropped to
12.4 °C in June 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
34 °C. However, it reached
41.6 °C in June 2007.
Precipitation amounts to only
0 mm, so on average it never rains in the whole month.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 35 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 75% of the time.
The average humidity is 56%.
The average wind speed is of
16.7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
20.9 °C. Therefore, the sea is cool for swimming.
July is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
26.9 °C, with a minimum of
23.8 °C and a maximum of
30 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
19 °C. However, it dropped to
17.6 °C in July 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36 °C. However, it reached
43.4 °C in July 1998.
Precipitation amounts to only
0 mm, so on average it never rains in the whole month.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 20 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 12 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 84% of the time.
The average humidity is 53%.
The average wind speed is of
16.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
24 °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
27.1 °C, with a minimum of
24.1 °C and a maximum of
30 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
20.5 °C. However, it dropped to
19.8 °C in August 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
35 °C. However, it reached
39 °C in August 2012.
Precipitation amounts to only
5 mm, distributed over 0 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 12 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 89% of the time.
The average humidity is 55%.
The average wind speed is of
16.9 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
25 °C. Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.
September is generally a warm to hot month. The average temperature is of
23.7 °C, with a minimum of
21.2 °C and a maximum of
26.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
16.5 °C. However, it dropped to
15.4 °C in September 2008.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
31.5 °C. However, it reached
38 °C in September 2015.
Precipitation amounts to
15 mm, distributed over 2 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 63%.
The average wind speed is of
18.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
24.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is warm enough for swimming.
October is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
20 °C, with a minimum of
17.7 °C and a maximum of
22.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
13 °C. However, it dropped to
10.4 °C in October 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
27 °C. However, it reached
35.6 °C in October 1991.
Precipitation amounts to
40 mm, distributed over 4 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 69%.
The average wind speed is of
19.6 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
21.5 °C. Therefore, the sea is cool for swimming.
November is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
16.1 °C, with a minimum of
14.1 °C and a maximum of
18 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
9 °C. However, it dropped to
4 °C in November 2004.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
23 °C. However, it reached
29 °C in November 1992.
Precipitation amounts to
105 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 49% of the time.
The average humidity is 74%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
20.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
19 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cool for swimming.
December is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
12.4 °C, with a minimum of
10.5 °C and a maximum of
14.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
5 °C. However, it dropped to
0.6 °C in December 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
19 °C. However, it reached
26.8 °C in December 1999.
Precipitation amounts to
135 mm, distributed over 11 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 40 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 41% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
21.7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
16.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.