Santorini weather is hot and bone dry from June to September, mild and wet from November to March, and close to perfect in May, June, late September and early October. The sea peaks at 25 or 26 degrees and holds that warmth into October.
Santorini Weather: Which is the perfect season to visit Santorini
Santorini Tours and Santorini Transfers present the local weather of Santorini, the largest and southernmost of the Cyclades, is generally Mediterranean, with mild and wet winters and warm and sunny summers. The Cyclades (which consist of islands like Delos, Mykonos, Paros and Ios) are found in the Aegean Sea.
Here are the common temperatures.
Santorini – Regular temperatures
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Min(°C) | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 11 |
| Max(°C) | 14 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 19 | 16 |
| Min(°F) | 48 | 48 | 50 | 54 | 59 | 66 | 72 | 72 | 66 | 61 | 55 | 52 |
| Max(°F) | 57 | 57 | 61 | 66 | 72 | 81 | 82 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 66 | 61 |
The rainfall pattern is typically Mediterranean, in reality the rains are concentrated in autumn and winter season, in specific from October to March. In apply, it rains really seldom from April to September, and practically by no means in summer, from June to August.
The size of the dry year makes the landscape arid. The interior is mainly flat, but there is also a hill, Mount Profitis Ilias, 567 metres (one,860 feet) higher.
Listed here is the average precipitation.
Santorini – Regular precipitation
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Prec.(mm) | 115 | 80 | 65 | 30 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 60 | 70 | 100 |
| Prec.(in) | 4.5 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 3.9 |
| Days | 9 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
In the heat year, starting from May possibly, the Cyclades (and as a result also Santorini) are particularly influenced by the Meltemi, a wind that blows from the north, persistently and in durations long lasting a few days. This wind is in a position to make the air really feel cooler than it is, but it can be also annoying and make the sea rough.
In winter, from December to mid-March, temperatures are typically gentle, but waves of undesirable climate, with wind and rain, can not be excluded. Sometimes there can be cold times, with the north wind blowing, and greatest temperatures remaining under 10 °C (50 °F).
In spring, from mid-March to May possibly, the weather is mild, and it gradually gets to be much more secure, with rain turning out to be gradually much less repeated.
Summer time, from June to mid-September, is warm and sunny. The wind practically usually helps make the warmth bearable, despite the fact that often there can be some limited warmth waves of African origin.
Autumn, from mid-September to November, is originally heat and sunny, but then the initial rains arise, and with every single passing 7 days they become more regular. In autumn, there may be numerous sunny times, but the rains in this time can occasionally be abundant.
Santorini
The sum of sunshine in Santorini is great in summer season, when clear skies are the norm. In winter, durations of poor temperature, with cloudy skies, alternate with sunny durations.
Santorini – Sunshine
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Hours | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
The sea is heat ample for swimming from July to September, achieving a greatest of 24 °C (75 °F) in August therefore, it is not quite warm, but it is appropriate.
Below are the typical sea temperatures.
Santorini – Sea temperature
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Temp (°C) | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 17 |
| Temp (°F) | 61 | 59 | 59 | 61 | 64 | 70 | 73 | 75 | 73 | 70 | 66 | 63 |
Ideal Time
The very best time for a beach front getaway in Santorini is the summer time, from June to mid-September. Those who are delicate to chilly can deliver a sweatshirt, also in midsummer, for windy and awesome evenings. You can take a tour of Santorini!
It is the ideal time to enjoy a Santorini Impressive Caldera Private Tour and a Santorini Sunset private Tour.
In spring and autumn, specifically in April and Could and from mid-September to mid-October, you will uncover pleasant temperatures, and the Santorini weather will be often sunny, though there can be also some brief durations of negative temperature.
Book now a Santorini Historical Private Tour and a Santorini Sightseeing Private Tour.
See more about Santorini island:
- Santorini Summer 2019
- Five magical shades of Santorini Tours
- The top Santorini Tours
- Santorini, the island that never rests
Santorini Weather: The Short Answer
Hot and bone dry from June to September, mild and wet from November to March, and close to perfect in May, June, late September and the first half of October. Santorini weather is a Mediterranean climate with two local complications: almost no rain in summer, and a north wind that decides more than the temperature does.
Highs run from about 14 degrees in January to 30 or more in July and August. The sea peaks at 25 or 26 degrees in late August and September and holds that warmth well into October. Santorini weather delivers rain almost entirely between November and March, and even then in bursts rather than in days.
If you want one recommendation: come in the second half of May, the first half of June, or between the middle of September and the middle of October.
Santorini Weather Month by Month
January
Highs 13 to 15 degrees, lows 9 to 11. The wettest month with the shortest days, sunset at about half past five. Sea around 16 degrees. Green, empty and cheap, and the coldest santorini weather of the year, with most of the caldera closed.
February
Highs 13 to 16, lows 9 to 11. Still wet and windy, with almond blossom towards the end and lengthening days. The quietest fortnight of the year falls here, and the wettest santorini weather with it.
March
Highs 15 to 17, lows 10 to 12. Drying out, the island at its greenest, and the santorini weather turning usable. The clocks change at the end of the month and sunset moves to about half past seven.
April
Highs 17 to 20, lows 12 to 14. Occasional showers and a good deal of sun. Everything reopens through the month, with Easter as the switch and the santorini weather improving weekly. Sea about 17 degrees.
May
Highs 21 to 25, lows 15 to 17. Almost no rain, everything open, few crowds and the best walking conditions of the year. Sea 18 or 19 degrees. The finest santorini weather of the whole calendar.
June
Highs 25 to 28, lows 19 to 21. Dry, bright and warm without being oppressive. The sea reaches 22 degrees and the meltemi begins. Arguably the best month overall.
Summer and Autumn
July
Highs 28 to 31, lows 22 to 24. Effectively no rain. The meltemi blows hard, which makes the heat bearable and cancels boat trips. Sea 24 degrees. This is santorini weather at its most demanding on land.
August
Highs 28 to 32 and occasionally 35, lows 23 to 25. The hottest and driest month, the strongest wind of the year, and the largest crowds. Sea 25 or 26 degrees, the warmest it gets. The hardest santorini weather to plan a day around.
September
Highs 25 to 28, lows 21 to 23. The sea holds its August warmth, the wind drops, the crowds thin and the light softens. The month most people wish they had booked, and the best santorini weather of the autumn.
October
Highs 22 to 25 early and 18 to 22 by the end, lows 17 to 19. The first showers return in the second half. Sea 23 degrees at the start and 21 at the end, still warmer than June. The clocks go back and sunset drops from about seven to six.
November
Highs 18 to 20, lows 14 to 16. The wet season starts properly and the island shuts down through the month. Sea 20 degrees at the start.
December
Highs 14 to 16, lows 11 to 13. Wet, windy, green and quiet: santorini weather at its most northern, with the shortest days of the year and sunset at about a quarter past five.
Santorini Weather: Sea Temperature by Month
Santorini weather at sea lags the air by roughly six weeks, which is the single most useful thing to know about swimming here.
January to March. 16 degrees. Swimmable only for the hardy, and people do go in on the sixth of January after the Epiphany cross.
April. 17 degrees. Cold.
May. 18 to 19. Brisk at the start of the month and pleasant at the end.
June. 22. Comfortable for everybody.
July. 24.
August. 25 to 26, the warmest of the year.
September. 24 to 25, effectively as warm as August.
October. 23 at the start, 21 at the end. Warmer than June.
November. 20 falling to 19.
December. 18.
The practical consequence is that October beats June for swimming and May does not, which surprises almost everybody who books on santorini weather forecasts alone.
The Meltemi
The wind is the part of santorini weather that a forecast app will not explain properly.
What it is. The defining feature of summer santorini weather: a dry northerly blowing across the Aegean, driven by the pressure difference between the Balkans and Turkey.
When. From about June to September, strongest in July and August, and it can blow for three or four days without a break.
What it does well. It makes 32 degrees of santorini weather feel manageable, keeps humidity low and clears the air.
What it does badly. Cancels boat trips and ferries, closes the old port below Fira, strips umbrellas off exposed beaches, and makes the north coast unusable while the south stays calm.
How to plan around it. Book the boat early in the week so a cancellation can be moved. Ask at the hotel each morning which coast is sheltered. Never book a ferry on the day of a flight.
The autumn advantage. The meltemi drops through September, which is why October crossings are cancelled far less often than August ones.
Rain, and When It Actually Falls
Annual total. Roughly 350 to 400 millimetres, which makes santorini weather among the driest in Europe. Comparable places in northern Europe receive two or three times as much.
When. Almost entirely between November and March, with December and January the wettest.
How. In bursts. A wet day of santorini weather is usually a wet hour followed by sun, rather than the steady grey drizzle of an Atlantic climate.
Summer. Effectively none. It is entirely normal for July and August to pass without a shower.
The shoulder months. April and October carry the risk of an afternoon lost to weather, which is why a five-night trip in those months should include a spare day.
What it means for the island. There are no rivers and no aquifer worth the name, the ground drains instantly, and the island runs almost entirely on desalination. The vines survive on night humidity rather than rain, which is the whole reason the wine tastes as it does.
Sunshine, UV and Shade
Sunshine hours. Santorini weather delivers among the highest sunshine totals in Europe, well over 3,000 hours a year and around thirteen hours of daylight in June.
UV. Extreme in the middle of the day from June to August, and still strong in May and September. The sea breeze disguises it completely, which is why people burn on boats.
Shade. Essentially none outside the villages. There are almost no trees on this island, so unless somebody has built an awning you are in full sun.
Glare. Whitewashed walls and pale volcanic rock reflect a great deal of light. Sunglasses matter as much as sun cream.
Daylight by season. Sunset falls at about a quarter past five in December, half past seven in late March, ten to nine in June and seven in early October before the clocks change.
What that means. Plan around the hours rather than the santorini weather forecast. In high summer the usable parts of the day are before eleven and after five, and the middle five hours belong to a pool or a taverna.
What the Weather Means for Boats
Volcano and catamaran trips. Run from roughly April to October and are cancelled when santorini weather brings a strong meltemi, most often in July and August.
Ferries. High-speed catamarans are pulled first, conventional ferries second. In winter, gales can stop sailings for two or three days.
The old port. Closes in heavy wind, which affects cruise tenders as well as excursion boats.
The calmest months. May, early June, late September and October. The best santorini weather for sailing comes in the first fortnight of October.
Planning rule. Put the boat on day two or three of the trip, never on the last day, and never on the day before a flight.
More holidays are disrupted by santorini weather at sea than on land, and almost all of it is the wind rather than the rain.
Santorini Weather and What to Pack
June to September. Summer santorini weather calls for a hat with a brim, high-factor sun cream, sunglasses, swimming shoes for the black sand, and one light layer for the evening on the rim, where the meltemi drops the felt temperature sharply after dark.
April, May and October. The same, plus a jumper and a light waterproof shell. Umbrellas are useless in any wind here.
November to March. A waterproof with a hood, a jumper and a jacket rather than a heavy coat, and shoes with grip for wet marble lanes. It is 14 degrees, not 4, but the humidity gets through.
All year. Flat shoes with grip, whatever the santorini weather. The lanes are polished stone and the volcanic paths are loose, and footwear causes more trouble here than the climate does.
For a boat. A layer, because the wind at sea is always stronger than on land, and a cloth for salt spray.
Never needed. Anything genuinely warm. It does not get cold on this island in any month.
The Best and Worst Months
Best overall. Late May, early June, and the first half of October. Everything open, the most comfortable santorini weather, manageable crowds and prices well below the peak.
Best for swimming. Late August, September and early October.
Best for walking. April, May and October. The rim path from Fira to Oia is a pleasure at 20 degrees and a hazard at 32.
Best for photography. Winter for the drama and October for the light.
Best value. January, and among the months everything is open, May and October.
Worst for crowds and cost. The first fortnight of August.
Worst for closures. January and February.
The honest summary. There is no bad month here, only months that suit different trips. Anyone choosing dates on santorini weather alone should take the second half of September.
Santorini Weather by Trip Type
The right month depends far more on what you came for than on the santorini weather averages.
A beach holiday. Late June to early October, and September above all. The sea is warmest from late August, the black sand is unbearable at midday in July and August, and the beach bars close from the middle of October.
A honeymoon. May, June, September or early October. Warm evenings on a terrace, no crowd on the rim, and prices at half the August rate.
Sightseeing and archaeology. April, May and October. Akrotiri is roofed and works all year, but Ancient Thira on an exposed ridge is a pleasure at 20 degrees and punishing at 32.
Walking. April, May and October, without qualification. The Fira to Oia rim path is one of the great walks of the Cyclades and a genuine heat risk in August.
Wine. Late September and October, once the harvest is in and the estates have time.
Photography. October for the soft light and empty viewpoints, and winter for storm cloud crossing the caldera.
Families. Late June or the first half of September. Warm sea, no heat problem and shorter queues.
A quiet week. November to March, accepting that a third of the island is shut.
Matching the trip to the santorini weather is worth more than any other planning decision, including the choice of hotel.
How the Weather Shapes the Island
The climate here is not just a forecast; it explains most of what visitors find remarkable.
The wine. With 350 to 400 millimetres of rain a year and no irrigation, the vines survive on night humidity absorbed by volcanic ash. The kouloura basket shelters the fruit from the meltemi and the salt. Both are direct products of the santorini weather.
The water supply. No rivers, no meaningful aquifer, and ground that drains instantly. Cisterns collected winter rain for three thousand years and the island now runs on desalination.
The architecture. Whitewash reflects heat and disinfects. Cave houses dug into pumice hold about 18 degrees all year without heating or cooling. Vaulted roofs shed the little rain there is.
The landscape. Green for six weeks in spring and grey, ochre and black for the rest of the year. Almost no trees, which is why there is no shade.
The farming. Cherry tomatoes, white aubergine, fava and capers all grow without irrigation because they have adapted to exactly this.
The season. Five months of tourism and seven of quiet, which is why prices sit where they do and why so much closes in winter.
Checking the Forecast Sensibly
Look at the wind, not just the temperature. A 26-degree day with a force six northerly is a different day from a still one, and only the wind decides whether the boat sails.
Check the evening before. Aegean forecasts more than two or three days out are indicative rather than reliable, especially in the shoulder months.
Ask locally. Every hotel and every taverna knows which coast is sheltered today, and it takes ten seconds.
Watch the sea state, not the sky. Boat cancellations come from swell and gusts, and they happen on cloudless days.
Distrust the app on rain. A twenty per cent chance in April here usually means an hour of shower and then sun, not a lost day.
Build in one spare day. Every recommendation on this page reduces to that. Santorini weather is reliable for eight months of the year and the exceptions all fall on the same day as the thing you booked.
Santorini Weather Compared With Other Greek Islands
Useful context, because visitors frequently assume the Aegean is uniform and it is not.
Against Crete. Crete is further south and its southern coast is warmer for longer, swimmable from March into November, with a genuinely mild winter. It also gets more rain overall, most of it in the mountains.
Against Mykonos. Almost identical temperatures and considerably more wind. Mykonos is low and exposed, so the meltemi closes beaches there that would be usable here.
Against Naxos and Paros. A degree or two cooler in high summer and greener, because both have mountains that catch what little rain falls.
Against Rhodes and Kos. Further east and south, with a longer season and slightly warmer sea in October.
Against Athens. The city is hotter and far more humid in July and August. Thirty-two degrees of santorini weather with a northerly is more comfortable than twenty-eight in Athens with none.
The distinguishing feature. Not the temperature, which is ordinary for the Aegean, but the combination of almost no rain, almost no shade and a great deal of wind.
A Practical Calendar
January and February. Come for the emptiness. Four nights, a car, indoor options in reserve, and Epiphany on the sixth of January if you can time it.
March. Green and cheap, with a third of the island still shut. A gamble that pays off in a good week.
April. Reopening through the month, with Easter as the pivot. Excellent for walking and archaeology, cold for swimming.
May. Everything open, wild flowers, and the best all-round conditions of the year. Book this month if you can.
June. Warm sea, dry air, manageable crowds. The strongest single recommendation on this page.
July. Hot and windy, with everything running. Plan around early mornings.
August. The warmest sea and the hardest conditions. Add a night, because the middle of every day is unusable.
September. The sea at its warmest and the crowds falling away. The month regular visitors book.
October. First half excellent, second half winding down. Still warmer for swimming than June.
November and December. Wet, quiet and green, with much of the caldera closed. Christmas and New Year are the exception.
Anybody planning around santorini weather rather than around school holidays should be reading the May, June, September and October lines and ignoring the rest.
The One Thing to Take From This Page
Temperature is not what decides a day here. The wind is.
A 24-degree day with a force six northerly cancels the boat, closes the north coast, makes the rim path unpleasant and turns a beach into a sandblasting. A 31-degree day with no wind is a flat sea, a comfortable catamaran and an unbearable walk at noon. The thermometer tells you almost nothing about which of those you are getting.
So check the wind rather than the temperature, ask locally which coast is sheltered, put the boat early in the week, keep one day spare, and treat the middle of any summer day as time indoors. Do that and santorini weather stops being something that happens to your holiday and becomes something you plan around, which on an island this exposed is the whole difference.
Heat, Health and the Middle of the Day
Summer santorini weather is not dangerous and it is not something to improvise around either.
Dehydration. The commonest complaint the island’s pharmacists treat in visitors. The dry air and the wind hide how much you are losing, so drink far more than thirst suggests.
Sunstroke. Second commonest, and it comes from a boat or an unshaded archaeological site rather than from a beach.
The rule. Nothing outdoors between noon and four in July and August. A pool, a shaded terrace, a long lunch or a museum.
Black sand. Too hot to walk on barefoot from about two in the afternoon. Swimming shoes solve it.
Ancient Thira and the volcano. Both are exposed with no shade at all. Go at opening or not at all in high summer.
Akrotiri. Roofed, and the one site that works at any hour in any santorini weather.
Emergencies. 112. There is a health centre in Fira and pharmacies in the main villages.
Winter Weather in Detail
Winter santorini weather is worth spelling out, because most visitors have never seen it and the picture online is thin.
Temperature. Highs of 13 to 16 degrees and lows of 9 to 11 from December to February. It very rarely freezes. Snow is a once-a-decade event and it does not settle.
Humidity. High, and it matters more than the thermometer. Cave rooms cut into pumice hold damp, and a hotel that is glorious in June can feel cold in January unless the heating is good.
Wind. Northerly gales come through regularly, take several degrees off the felt temperature on the rim, and cancel ferries.
Sun. More than northern Europeans expect from winter santorini weather. Clear, bright, washed days between the fronts are common and the light is the best of the year.
Storms. Occasional and dramatic santorini weather, with cloud sitting on the caldera and rainbows over Thirasia.
What it means practically. Four or five nights with a spare day, a car, indoor options held in reserve, and a hotel whose heating you have asked about.
Santorini Weather: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best month to visit Santorini? Late May, early June or the first half of October. Everything is open, temperatures are comfortable, crowds are manageable and prices are well below the August peak.
How hot does it get in summer? Highs of 28 to 32 degrees in July and August, occasionally 35, with nights around 23 to 25 and effectively no rain.
How cold is winter? Highs of 13 to 16 degrees and lows of 9 to 11 from December to February, with rain, wind and high humidity. It very rarely freezes.
When is the sea warmest? Late August and September at 25 or 26 degrees, and it stays above 21 through October.
Can you swim in May? The sea is 18 or 19 degrees, which is brisk. October is warmer for swimming than May or June.
Does it rain in summer? Effectively never. It is entirely normal for July and August to pass without a shower.
When does it rain? November to March, in bursts rather than whole days, totalling only 350 to 400 millimetres a year.
What is the meltemi? A dry northerly wind that blows from June to September, strongest in July and August. It cools the heat and cancels boats.
Will the wind ruin my trip? Not on land. It cancels boat trips and ferries, so book those early in the week and keep a spare day.
What should I pack? Summer clothes and a hat from June to September, plus a light layer for evenings on the rim. Add a jumper and a waterproof shell in the shoulder months, and shoes with grip all year.
Is April warm enough? For sightseeing and walking, yes at 17 to 20 degrees. For swimming, no.
Which month has the best light? Winter for drama and October for warmth and softness.
We Plan the Day Around the Forecast
We are a local operator running private tours and transfers in our own vehicles, and half of what we do is read the santorini weather and reorder the day accordingly.
Akrotiri and the museums when it rains, the wineries and the villages when it is clear, the boat on the flat morning rather than the windy one, and Oia at the hour when the light and the crowd are both on your side.
Prices are per vehicle rather than per person, hotel pickup anywhere on the island is included, we guide in twelve languages, and an 80 EUR deposit confirms a date.
See the personalised tour, the full list of tours, or contact us.
Every Village and Site on the Island
Any of these can be built into a private day. Each has its own page with what to see and how long to allow.
Caldera villages: Fira · Firostefani · Imerovigli · Oia · Finikia · Baxedes
Inland villages: Pyrgos · Megalochori · Emporio · Mesaria · Karterados · Vothonas · Vourvoulos · Exo Gonia · Mesa Gonia · Pigadia
Beaches: Perissa · Perivolos · Kamari · Vlychada · Monolithos · Red Beach · White Beach · Agios Georgios · Agia Paraskevi
Sites and landmarks: Akrotiri · Ancient Thira · Akrotiri Lighthouse · Nea Kameni · Palia Kameni · Thirasia · Athinios Port
All our tours: All Santorini tours · Full day tour · Sightseeing tour · Personalised tour · North part tour · Horse riding · South part tour · Sunset tour · Shore excursion · Caldera tour · Food experience · Wine tour · Historical tour · Small group tour
Planning and services: Famous sights tour · Private transfers · Transfers to Oia and Finikia · Transfers to other villages · Villages of Santorini · History of Santorini · Tours near you · Languages we guide in · Food and fun tours · Gay friendly tours · Our tour buses · Daily tours · Day tours · FAQ · Gallery · Tour photo gallery · About us · Contact · Blog
