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Climate - North Aegean Islands (Greece)


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours

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The Northern Aegean Islands are the islands of the northern part of the Aegean Sea. They can be divided into two groups: the islands of the Thracian Sea (ie the northernmost part of the Aegean Sea) and the Northeast Aegean islands.

Index


  • Thracian Sea
  • Northeast Aegean Islands
  • Best Time

Thracian Sea



Islands in the Sea of Thrace, map

Located above the 40th parallel, the islands of the Thracian Sea are the northernmost ones, and have a transitional Mediterranean climate, characterized by fairly cold winters, with possible outbreaks of cold air from the Balkan Peninsula, accompanied by snowfall and frost, and hot and sunny summers, which, however, are shorter than on the southern islands. The islands are Samothrace, Thasos and Imroz (the latter belonging to Turkey).
For example, here are the average temperatures of Samothrace. In January and February, highs hover around 10 °C (50 °F); summer is hot, since highs in July and August are around 29/30 °C (84/88 °F), however, already in September, the temperature drops by 5 degrees Celsius.
Samothrace - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January5107.2414945
February5107.5415045.5
March6128.8425347.8
April91612.6486154.6
May142218.1577264.6
June182722.8658173
July202924.9688576.8
August213025.2698577.3
September172521.2637770.1
October131916.2566761.2
November101512.4495954.4
December5107.7425045.8
Year11.918.915.453.56659.5

Precipitation is not very abundant, since it hovers around 600 millimeters (23.5 inches) per year, and follows an almost Mediterranean pattern, since it is more frequent in autumn and in winter, but then, in late spring and summer, some thunderstorms can occur, coming from the continent, especially in Thasos, which is closer to the mainland.
This is the average rainfall in Thasos.
Thasos - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January702.89
February602.48
March5028
April451.87
May5028
June401.66
July301.25
August2514
September351.44
October552.26
November702.88
December903.59
Year62024.482

The amount of sunshine is excellent in summer, when clear skies prevail, and it is also good in May and September, while it is not so high in the rest of the year, since there are several cloudy periods. As mentioned, on the northernmost islands, some thunderstorms can break out also in the middle of summer.
Here, for example, are the average daily sunshine hours in Thasos.
Thasos - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January4125
February5140
March6185
April8240
May9280
June11330
July12370
August11340
September9270
October7215
November5150
December4125
Year7.62775

Despite the northern position, in the Thracian Sea, the temperature of the sea in summer is slightly higher than in the Aegean Sea, since the latter is affected by the Meltemi, a cool wind blowing from the north and able to mix the water layers, so that its surface doesn't warm up by much.
Here is the sea temperature in Thasos.
Thasos - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January1355
February1355
March1355
April1457
May1864
June2272
July2475
August2577
September2373
October2068
November1763
December1559
Year18.164.6

Northeast Aegean Islands



Northeast Aegean islands, map

In the Northeast Aegean Islands, which lie further to the south, winter becomes progressively warmer, with less frequent cold spells, while summer becomes progressively longer. They are, from north to south: Lemnos (which is still pretty cold in winter because of the northern location), Agios Efstratios (or Saint Eustratius), Lesbos, Psara, Chios, Oinousses (or Aignousa, a small island to the east of Chios), Samos, Ikaria (the westernmost one, a short distance from the Cyclades), and the Fournoi Islands (or Fournoi Korseon), namely Fournoi, Thymaina and Agios Minas.
For example, here are the average temperatures of Lesbos.
Lesbos - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January7129.4445448.9
February71310445650.1
March81612.2476153.9
April112015.6526860.2
May162520.4607768.7
June203025.1688677.2
July233227.5739081.4
August233227.5739081.5
September192823.6668374.6
October152319.1597366.4
November111814.6526458.2
December81411475751.8
Year14221857.371.764.5

As mentioned, the temperature of the sea in this central part of the Aegean is not very high, however, it reaches 24 °C (75 °F) in August.
Here is the sea temperature in Chios.
Chios - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January15.560
February1559
March1559
April1661
May18.566
June2272
July23.574
August2475
September2373
October20.569
November1864
December16.561
Year1966.2

The amount of sunshine on the Northeast Aegean Islands is excellent in summer, when clear skies prevail, it's very good in late spring, while in autumn and winter, sunny periods alternate with others characterized by clouds and rain.
Here are the average daily sunshine hours in Lesbos.
Lesbos - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January3.5115
February5150
March6.5200
April8.5260
May9.5300
June11335
July12375
August11.5355
September9.5290
October7.5235
November5.5170
December3.5115
Year7.92900

Best Time


The best time to travel to the Northern Aegean islands for swimming and sun bathing is the summer, from June to August on the islands of the Thracian Sea, and from June to mid-September on the Northeast Aegean Islands.

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