Climate - Thasos (Greece)

The climate of Thasos (or Thassos), an island in the Northern Aegean Sea, a short distance from the Thracian coast, is transitional Mediterranean (given the northern location, it is not fully Mediterranean), with quite cold, rainy winters and hot, sunny summers. In winter, the island is subject to outbreaks of cold air from the Balkan Peninsula, while in late spring and summer, it can be affected by thunderstorms coming from the mainland.
Here are the average temperatures.

The interior of the island is occupied by hills and low mountains, culminating in Mount Ypsarion, 1,170 meters (3,839 feet) high. The north side is green and covered with forests, while the south side is more arid.

Precipitation is not abundant, since it amounts to 620 millimeters (24.5 inches) per year; the rain pattern is almost Mediterranean, in fact, winter is the wettest season and summer is the driest, but the rains increase slightly in late spring, and in summer, they remain a bit more frequent than on the southern Greek islands. Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to mid-March, is pretty cold: the maximum temperatures normally hover around 8/9 °C (46/48 °F), but they may remain at certain times below 5 °C (41 °F), in addition, the wind can increase the feeling of cold. Moreover, sometimes, and not too infrequently, it can snow, and during the most intense cold waves, the temperature can remain around freezing even during the day.
The rains are quite frequent as well. However, there are also mild days, with highs about 13/15 °C (55/59 °F).

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

Summer, from June to August, is hot and sunny, with rare showers. Typically, the maximum temperatures hover around 28 °C (82 °F) in July and August, but there are also hotter periods, when they reach 34/36 °C (93/97 °F). Luckily, sea breezes blow.

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



The amount of sunshine in Thasos 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, there are both sunny periods and periods when the sky is cloudy. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

The temperature of the sea is still cold in May and cool in June, while it becomes acceptable for swimming from July to September, and reaches a peak in August. This northern part of the Aegean Sea, close to the mainland and also less windy, is slightly colder in winter, but in summer, it is even warmer than the central and southern part. Here are the average sea temperatures.

Best Time

The best time to go to Thasos for a beach holiday is summer, from June to August. In June, and sometimes in early July, there may be some cool evenings, so it's better to bring a sweatshirt or sweater for the evening, and those who are sensitive to cold can do it also in mid-summer.
In May, not only the sea is cold, but there may also be some quite cool days, with highs below 20 °C (68 °F), especially in the first part of the month.
If you want to go on excursions throughout the island, you can choose May and September.

Back to the North Aegean Islands.