From Summer-Like Heat to Winter Chill in Crete

Crete’s weather had everyone guessing this weekend. A bright sun, warm sands, and temperatures reaching 31°C pulled locals toward the beaches, creating scenes more fitting for August than early spring. Yet, this brief fling with summer came with a warning: nature hasn’t forgotten its calendar.

A Spring Tease: Summer in Full Swing

This weekend, several spots across Crete basked in extraordinary warmth for the season. The glittering beaches of Heraklion became the perfect escape for anyone looking to ditch jackets for swimsuits. By midday, locals and visitors took full advantage of the day, with scenes reminiscent of peak tourist season.

Here’s where the heat made its highest marks:

• Adele, Rethymno: 31°C
• Heraklion (EL.ME.PA): 31°C
• East Heraklion: 30°C
• Heraklion Port: 30°C
• Rethymno City: 30°C

For any bystander, it looked as if the island was prematurely stepping into summer. But the blistering winds carried a subtle reminder: this weather wasn’t destined to stay.

Reaching speeds of up to 92 km/h today, these gale-force gusts made moving around the island an adventure few would forget. Locals and tourists dealt with inconveniences—ranging from travel delays to the possible risk of minor property damage.

Data released by Meteo placed Crete at the center of Greece’s extreme weather scene, with the island claiming seven out of the eight fiercest wind gusts across the country.

• Rethymno: 92 km/h (a place where umbrellas turned into kites)
• Roussospiti, Rethymno: 90 km/h (hanging onto hats was mandatory here)
• Amnatos, Rethymno: 89 km/h (hitting just under the 90 mark)
• Argyroupoli, Rethymno: 85 km/h (not your typical gentle Mediterranean breeze)
• Eleftherna, Rethymno: 82 km/h (modern winds meet ancient ruins)
• Stavrakia, Heraklion: 82 km/h (a village that refused to budge)
• Voukolies, Chania: 81 km/h (still enough for a hair-raising experience)

From Beaches to Blankets: Winter’s Unwelcome Return

Despite this weekend’s beach-perfect scenes—disturbed only by winds—weather experts have predicted a sharp change on the horizon. As early as Tuesday, temperatures in parts of Crete are expected to nosedive. By Wednesday, lows may reach a chilly 12°C, with jackets and coats replacing swimsuits. These sudden changes, officially classified as instances of extreme weather, are linked to the broader issue of climate change.

The dramatic fluctuations in a single week—from summery highs to wintry lows—are a challenge for locals and a curiosity for visitors. Crete’s spring this year, it seems, refuses to deliver anything predictable.

What Does This Mean for Visitors?

Tourists enjoying the island’s unexpected warmth shouldn’t unpack entirely into the season-welcome mindset. Pack for all eventualities—shorts and sunscreen one day, layers and scarves the next. Witness Crete’s weather testing its spring identity crisis firsthand.

While this weekend’s warmth left many yearning for an early summer, this week’s drastic shift in mood confirms that spring in Crete continues to surprise with its extreme weather swings. A reminder, perhaps, to enjoy each warm day to the fullest—before the winds of change roll back in.