The climate of Skopelos, Greek island belonging to the Northern Sporades, is Mediterranean, with relatively mild and rainy winters, and hot and sunny summers. The average temperature of January is 7 °C (44.5 °F), that of July is 23.5 °C (74.5 °F).
Here are the average temperatures.

Being at a short distance from the mainland, the island in winter is subject to outbreaks of cold air, while in late spring and summer it can occasionally receive some showers or thunderstorms coming from the same continent.
The island's interior is covered with plains and hills, reaching about 650 metres (2,100 ft) above sea level, and is green.

The rains follow the Mediterranean pattern, in fact they are more frequent from October to April, and amount to 735 millimetres (29 inches) per year. As mentioned, rainfall in summer is rare, and occurs in the form of short showers or thunderstorms.
Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to mid-March, is not so mild: the maximum temperature is on average about 10/12 °C (50/54 °F), there can be mild periods, with highs around 15/18 °C (59/64 °F), but also cold periods, in which highs remain around 5/7 °C (41/45 °F), and with a moderate or even strong wind, able to increase the feeling of cold. Sometimes, and not too infrequently, it can even snow, and at night there can be slight frosts. The rains are quite frequent, and sometimes they can be abundant, especially in December and January; the rainiest month is December.

Spring, from mid-March to May, is mild, but with some periods a bit cold, windy and rainy, which gradually become less frequent.

Summer, from June to mid-September, is hot and sunny, with rare showers. Typically, highs hover around 30 °C (86 °F), and rarely exceed 33/34 °C (91/93 °F), but the air is a bit humid.

Autumn, from mid-September to November, is pleasantly warm at first, then gradually becomes milder. The rains gradually become more frequent, although in September and the first half of October there are still entire weeks without rain. In November, the first days a bit cold and windy begin to occur, and sometimes also in October.



The amount of sunshine in Skopelos is very good in summer, when clear skies prevail, and it is also good in May and September, while in the rest of the year it's not high, since there are several periods in which the sky is cloudy.

The temperature of the sea, still cold in May, and cool in June, around 21 °C (70 °F), becomes high enough for swimming from July to September, when it reaches 23/24 °C (73/75 °F).
Here are the average sea temperatures.

When to go

The best time to go to Skopelos, for swimming and sunbathing, is summer, from June to mid-September. In June, and sometimes in early July, there can be some cool evenings, so it's better to bring a sweatshirt for the evening.
In May, not only the sea is cold, but some days can be cool as well, with highs below 20 °C (68 °F), especially in the first half of the month.
For excursions in the island, you can choose May and September.

Back to the Sporades Islands.