In Paxos, a small Greek island in the Ionian Sea, a short distance from Corfu, and in nearby Antipaxos, the climate is Mediterranean, with mild and rainy winters, and hot and sunny summers. The average temperature of January is 9.5 °C (49 °F), that of August is 25 °C (77 °F).
Here are the average temperatures.

The rains are quite abundant, given that they amount to nearly 1,100 millimetres (43 inches) per year, and follow the Mediterranean pattern, with a maximum in autumn and winter, while from June to August it hardly ever rains. The rains are abundant especially from October to February.
Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to mid-March, is mild enough, although it is not as mild as the most southern islands of Greece; in addition it is rainy, especially in December, when 180 mm (7 in) of rain fall; during some years the rains are particularly abundant. Sometimes there may be outbreaks of cold air from the Balkan Peninsula, with some cold and windy days, and possible slight frosts at night.

Spring, from mid-March to May, is mild; the rains are quite frequent at the beginning, but then gradually become rarer, and sunny days become increasingly more frequent. May is a pleasant month, before the summer heat.

Summer, from June to August, is hot and sunny: the maximum temperature exceeds 30 °C (86 °F) with some frequency, and can reach 35/36 °C (95/97 °F), especially in July and August. Luckily, sea breezes blow, providing relief, at least when the heat is not excessive, and in any case you can cool yourself down in the sea. This part of Greece, overlooking the Ionian Sea, is outside the area where the annoying but cooling Meltemi blows, so the sea is also warmer (see below).

Autumn, from September to November, is mild (initially quite hot) and rainy, with possible thunderstorms. In September, there can still be a lot of sunny days.



The amount of sunshine in Paxos is great in summer, when clear skies prevail, but it is also good in spring, when days with clear of partly cloudy skies are already frequent. On the contrary, from October to March the sunshine amount is not high, because there are sunny days, but also periods of bad weather.

The temperature of the sea in Paxos is warm enough for swimming from July to September, while in June it is still a bit cool, around 22 °C (72 °F), but all in all acceptable.
Here are the average sea temperatures.

When to go

The best time to go to Paxos, for a beach holiday, goes from June to August, although the weather is often still good in the first half of September.
For excursions in the island, you can go from mid-April to mid-June, to avoid the heat that can occur in high summer.

Back to the Ionian Islands.