Best time to visit Karpathos
The best time to visit Karpathos for a beach holiday is from June to mid-September.
To explore the island by foot and visit ancient GreeK ruins, the best time is spring during April and May – so avoiding the summer heat; and in September and October, although, autumn experiences more rainfall.
Karpathos weather
Located south of Rhodes in the southeastern Aegean Sea, Karpathos has a Mediterranean climate with hot, sunny summers and mild, wet winters.
Summer, from June to mid-September, is hot and sunny, and enjoys a daily average temperature of 27°C (80°F), which can rise to around 34°C (93°F) on occasions.
A cooling sea breeze – the Meltimi – is fairly consistent throughout summer, although is less strong than in the central Aegean Sea.
Autumn, from mid-September to November, is warm and pleasant at the beginning of the season, then gradually becomes milder with frequent rain showers.
Winter, from December to February, is mild – occasionally cold – and wet, with an average temperature of 12°C (53°F).
Spring, from mid-March to May, is mild and becomes increasingly warmer and sunnier as the season progresses.
What is the best month to visit Karpathos?
June through September are the best months to visit Karpathos – the climate is perfect with hot, sunny weather and little to no rainfall.
July and August are especially popular, since this is the peak tourist season in Karpathos.
To avoid the crowds, higher prices and high heat of summer, the months of May and October are also good for a range of outdoor activities.
Which is the hottest month in Karpathos?
The hottest month in Karpathos is normally August, with an average daily high temperature of 30°C (86°F), with high heat and humidity, and a low of 25°C (77°F)
However, on the warmest days of the month, the temperature may climb to around 35°C (95°F).
The warm season lasts from June through September, with an average daily high temperature above 28°C (82°F).
Which is the coldest month in Karpathos?
The coldest month in Karpathos is January, with an average high temperature of 15°C (59°F) and an average low of 10°C (50°F).
The cool season lasts from December through March, with an average daily high temperature below 18°C (64°F).
Which is the sunniest month in Karpathos?
The sunniest month in Karpathos is usually July, with around 12 hours of sunshine per day – that's an average of 97% of daylight hours.
What is the humidity in Karpathos?
Karpathos experiences seasonal variation in perceived humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at between 65% – 74% over the course of the year.
What do the humidity conditions feel like in Karpathos?
We derive the humidity comfort level – what conditions feel like – from the dew point temperature, which measures moisture content in the atmosphere: a higher dew point feels more humid, while a lower dew point feels drier.
Meteorologists agree that dew point temperature is a more consistant indication of 'absolute humidity' than relative humidity, which fluctuates with temperature.
The average annual dew point in Karpathos is 14°C (57°F), and varies over the course of the year from dry and comfortable at 8°C (46°F) to humid at 21°C (70°F).
The more humid time of year in Karpathos lasts from June through to mid-October, when you can expect the comfort level to be humid at least 20% of the time.
The month with the most muggy days in Karpathos is August, with around 23 days that feel humid.
November through to April is generally comfortable, with no days in any month that feel humid.
When is the sea warmest in Karpathos?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Karpathos in August when the water temperature reaches 26°C (78°F), which is pleasant for swimming.
The sea is warm enough for swimming from June to October.
Which month has the most rain in Karpathos?
January is usually the wettest month in Karpathos, with 150mm (6in) of rainfall on average, distributed across 11 days.
The rainy season lasts from November through March, with a greater than 19% chance of a given day being a wet day. The heaviest rainall in Karpathos is during December and January.
The drier season lasts from April through October. The month with the least rainfall in Karpathos is July.
Which is the windiest month in Karpathos?
The windiest month of the year in Karpathos is February, with an average hourly wind speed of 21 kilometres per hour (13 mph; 11 knots).
The windy part of the year lasts from late-November to early-April, with average wind speeds of more than 19 kilometres per hour (12 mph; 10 knots).
The less-windy time of year lasts from early-April to late-November. The calmest month of the year in Karpathos is May, with an average hourly wind speed of 16 kilometres per hour (10 mph; 8.6 knots).
The predominant average hourly wind direction is from the north throughout the year in Karpathos.
Karpathos Weather Averages
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average high temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 25 | 21 | 17 |
| Average low temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 19 | 15 | 12 |
| Average daily sunshine (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Average daily daylight (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfort level – heat | |||||||||||
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| Comfort level – humidity (#muggy days) | |||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 18 | 23 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Average dew point temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 8 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 10 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | |||||||||||
| 72 | 72 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 66 | 65 | 68 | 67 | 71 | 73 | 74 |
| UV Index (max) | |||||||||||
| 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Average days of rainfall (≥1mm) | |||||||||||
| 11 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| Average monthly rainfall (mm) | |||||||||||
| 150 | 105 | 75 | 30 | 15 | 5 | - | - | 10 | 65 | 80 | 140 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | |||||||||||
| 21 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 20 |
| Average sea temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 18 |
| Karpathos, Dodecanese, Greece | |||||||||||
Holiday seasons
High season: July and August, when hotel and restaurant prices sky-rocket.
Low season: From March to June – the temperature is cooler, hotel prices are more reasonable and the crowds non-existent.
Note: The winter off-season, from November through February, is generally quiet everywhere; many hotels, restaurants and bars close down and the beaches are deserted. Ferry and air services are dramatically reduced.
Source: Weather data for Karpathos is based on meteorological statistics gathered during 1991 to 2020 by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS) at the closest weather station: Karpathos Island National Airport (AOK), located in the south of the island around 13km (8mi) southwest of the capital, Karpathos Town, also known as Pigadia.
Advice on the best time to visit a particular destination is based on average local weather statistics, when the weather conditions are generally better than at other times of the year. We consider high and low temperatures, risk of rain (and thunderstorms, etc.), amount of sunshine and sea temperature. For general outdoor activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 18°C (64°F) and 27°C (80°F); and for hot-weather activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 24°C (75°F) and 32°C (89°F). Often, the best times to visit correspond to high season and therefore involve higher prices.
Latest update: Best time to visit Karpathos: 6 June, 2024
Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided as is, without any assurances as to its accuracy or suitability for any purpose. Weather data and conditions at any given location and time are unpredictable and variable. We assume no responsibility and can not be held legally responsible for any decisions made on the basis of the information presented on this site.
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