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Climate of Greece
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Climate of Greece
The climate in Greece is predominantly Mediterranean. However, due to the country's complex geography, Greece has a wide range of micro-climates and local variations. The Greek mainland is extremely mountainous, making Greece one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. According to the Köppen climate classification Greece has 11 climates, the most in Europe for its size.
To the west of the Pindus mountain range, the climate is generally wetter and has some maritime features. The east of the Pindus mountain range is generally drier and windier in summer. The highest peak is Mount Olympus, 2,918 metres (9,573 ft). The northern areas of Greece have a transitional climate between the continental, the Mediterranean and the humid subtropical climate while there are marginal mountainous areas with an alpine climate. Semi-arid climates are the second most common in Greece.
Average annual temperatures in Greece range from around +4 °C (39 °F) in Kaimaktsalan up to +22 °C (72 °F) in Lindos. The lowest average annual precipitation is recorded in Schoinoussa with 239 mm while the highest is found in Theodoriana with 2,529 mm. The highest temperature ever recorded was 48.0 °C (118.4 °F) in Tatoi and Elefsina while the lowest was −27.8 °C (−18.0 °F) in Ptolemaida (a -35.3°C was recorded in a sinkhole in Kechroti). Hardiness zones in Greece vary from 6a to 11a.
The climate of Greece can be divided into the following Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Cs) subtypes:
According to the Climate Atlas of Greece which was published by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (H.N.M.S) the Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa) is the predominant climate found in Greece. This climate occurs in the North Aegean islands, some of the Cyclades and most of the Dodecanese, Evia, some low-lying areas of Attica, the Ionian Islands and most of the western coast of the country, the eastern and southern low-lying Peloponnese areas, and the low-lying areas of Crete. During the summer, the weather is most frequently sunny and dry, and any precipitation falls in the form of showers or thunderstorms from cumuliform clouds. The air is usually hot during the day and pleasantly warm at night, but there are some very windy days, especially in the Cyclades islands and around them. Heatwaves may occur, but they are usually quite mild at the coastal areas, where temperatures are moderated by the relatively cooler sea and the sea breeze. Winters are wet and any snow that falls does not last long, especially in the south-facing slopes. Rain in winter is often persistent: The west areas of this climate zone receive a relatively higher amount of precipitation. Warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) exists in roughly the same areas but in higher elevations (>1,000 m.), such as mount Parnitha in Attica.
In this climate type (Köppen climate classification: Csc) with much lower temperatures, the winter is harsh with abundant snowfalls, while the summers are cool with occasional thunderstorms. This climate is to be found on high mountains, like in the Pindus and Rhodope mountains, and predominantly the higher elevations of the mountains of Crete.
This climate is classified as between humid subtropical and continental (Köppen climate classification: Cfa and Dfa) with strong characteristics of both the continental and Mediterranean climate.
According to the Climate Atlas of Greece published by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service and the network of the National Observatory of Athens, a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSh) is found primarily in Piraeus and much of the Athens Riviera (with Anavyssos being the driest area of mainland Greece), areas of West Attica (Aspropyrgos, Salamina, Vlychada) and the Gulf of Corinth, most of the Cyclades (with Schoinoussa being the driest area in Greece) , some islands of the Argo-Saronic Gulf (Aigina, Hydra), some areas of Crete (Lentas, Psari Forada, Moni Toplou), Gavdos, some islands of the Dodecanese (Kasos, Nisyros, Karpathos) and locally in Chalkidiki (Neos Marmaras) and in downtown Thessaloniki.
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Climate of Greece
The climate in Greece is predominantly Mediterranean. However, due to the country's complex geography, Greece has a wide range of micro-climates and local variations. The Greek mainland is extremely mountainous, making Greece one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. According to the Köppen climate classification Greece has 11 climates, the most in Europe for its size.
To the west of the Pindus mountain range, the climate is generally wetter and has some maritime features. The east of the Pindus mountain range is generally drier and windier in summer. The highest peak is Mount Olympus, 2,918 metres (9,573 ft). The northern areas of Greece have a transitional climate between the continental, the Mediterranean and the humid subtropical climate while there are marginal mountainous areas with an alpine climate. Semi-arid climates are the second most common in Greece.
Average annual temperatures in Greece range from around +4 °C (39 °F) in Kaimaktsalan up to +22 °C (72 °F) in Lindos. The lowest average annual precipitation is recorded in Schoinoussa with 239 mm while the highest is found in Theodoriana with 2,529 mm. The highest temperature ever recorded was 48.0 °C (118.4 °F) in Tatoi and Elefsina while the lowest was −27.8 °C (−18.0 °F) in Ptolemaida (a -35.3°C was recorded in a sinkhole in Kechroti). Hardiness zones in Greece vary from 6a to 11a.
The climate of Greece can be divided into the following Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Cs) subtypes:
According to the Climate Atlas of Greece which was published by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (H.N.M.S) the Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa) is the predominant climate found in Greece. This climate occurs in the North Aegean islands, some of the Cyclades and most of the Dodecanese, Evia, some low-lying areas of Attica, the Ionian Islands and most of the western coast of the country, the eastern and southern low-lying Peloponnese areas, and the low-lying areas of Crete. During the summer, the weather is most frequently sunny and dry, and any precipitation falls in the form of showers or thunderstorms from cumuliform clouds. The air is usually hot during the day and pleasantly warm at night, but there are some very windy days, especially in the Cyclades islands and around them. Heatwaves may occur, but they are usually quite mild at the coastal areas, where temperatures are moderated by the relatively cooler sea and the sea breeze. Winters are wet and any snow that falls does not last long, especially in the south-facing slopes. Rain in winter is often persistent: The west areas of this climate zone receive a relatively higher amount of precipitation. Warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) exists in roughly the same areas but in higher elevations (>1,000 m.), such as mount Parnitha in Attica.
In this climate type (Köppen climate classification: Csc) with much lower temperatures, the winter is harsh with abundant snowfalls, while the summers are cool with occasional thunderstorms. This climate is to be found on high mountains, like in the Pindus and Rhodope mountains, and predominantly the higher elevations of the mountains of Crete.
This climate is classified as between humid subtropical and continental (Köppen climate classification: Cfa and Dfa) with strong characteristics of both the continental and Mediterranean climate.
According to the Climate Atlas of Greece published by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service and the network of the National Observatory of Athens, a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSh) is found primarily in Piraeus and much of the Athens Riviera (with Anavyssos being the driest area of mainland Greece), areas of West Attica (Aspropyrgos, Salamina, Vlychada) and the Gulf of Corinth, most of the Cyclades (with Schoinoussa being the driest area in Greece) , some islands of the Argo-Saronic Gulf (Aigina, Hydra), some areas of Crete (Lentas, Psari Forada, Moni Toplou), Gavdos, some islands of the Dodecanese (Kasos, Nisyros, Karpathos) and locally in Chalkidiki (Neos Marmaras) and in downtown Thessaloniki.
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