Climate and average weather in Heraklion
In Heraklion, the summers are hot, dry, and clear and the winters are cool and partly cloudy.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Heraklion typically varies from 8°C to 30°C, and is rarely below 4°C or above 33°C. July is the hottest month of the year, while January is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit Heraklion for warm-weather activities is from mid April to mid November.
- Hottest
- Jul
- 30°
- Coldest
- Jan
- 8°
- Wettest
- Jan
- 68 mm
- Driest
- Jul
- 5 mm
- Rain / yr
- 443 mm
- 71 wet days
- Daylight
- 9.6–14.4 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 60 m
- 35.3°N
- Clearest
- Jul
- 5% cloud
Heraklion is city in the island of Crete, Greece.
- Density
- 1,258/km²
- people per km²
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Heraklion weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around mid April to mid November.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Heraklion, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
The hot season lasts 4.2 months, from May 26 to September 30, with daily high temperatures above 26°C. The hottest month of the year in Heraklion is July, with an average high of 30°C and low of 21°C.
The cool season lasts 3.7 months, from December 1 to March 22, with daily high temperatures below 17°C. The coldest month of the year in Heraklion is January, with an average low of 8°C and high of 14°C.
Days typically run about 8°C warmer than nights, with the widest day–night swing (around 10°C) in May.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 14 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 24 | 19 | 15 |
| Avg low (°C) | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 9 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | 8 |
| Feb | 14 | 8 |
| Mar | 17 | 9 |
| Apr | 20 | 11 |
| May | 25 | 15 |
| Jun | 28 | 19 |
| Jul | 30 | 21 |
| Aug | 29 | 22 |
| Sep | 27 | 19 |
| Oct | 24 | 16 |
| Nov | 19 | 12 |
| Dec | 15 | 9 |
Average hourly temperature in Heraklion
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on July afternoons, near 30°C, and coldest before dawn in January, near 8°C.
Heraklion weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14° / 8° | 68 | 12 | 9.9 | 3.9 |
| Feb | 14° / 8° | 64 | 10.5 | 10.7 | 4.2 |
| Mar | 17° / 9° | 54 | 8.3 | 11.7 | 5.6 |
| Apr | 20° / 11° | 36 | 5.6 | 12.9 | 7.3 |
| May | 25° / 15° | 31 | 4.3 | 13.8 | 8.3 |
| Jun | 28° / 19° | 13 | 1.9 | 14.3 | 7.9 |
| Jul | 30° / 21° | 5 | 0.7 | 14.1 | 7.2 |
| Aug | 29° / 22° | 6 | 0.7 | 13.3 | 7.2 |
| Sep | 27° / 19° | 19 | 2.9 | 12.2 | 8.1 |
| Oct | 24° / 16° | 38 | 5.9 | 11.1 | 7.8 |
| Nov | 19° / 12° | 45 | 7.1 | 10.1 | 6.6 |
| Dec | 15° / 9° | 64 | 11.3 | 9.7 | 4.5 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Heraklion gets about 443 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is some rain, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 5.9 months, from around Oct 15 to Apr 12, peaking in January at about 41% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jul 23.
January is the wettest month by volume, with 68 mm over about 12 wet days; July is the driest, with 5 mm.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 38 | 37 | 28 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 19 | 24 | 36 |
| Rain days | 12 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 11 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38 | 12 |
| Feb | 37 | 11 |
| Mar | 28 | 8 |
| Apr | 19 | 6 |
| May | 13 | 4 |
| Jun | 7 | 2 |
| Jul | 3 | 1 |
| Aug | 3 | 1 |
| Sep | 9 | 3 |
| Oct | 19 | 6 |
| Nov | 24 | 7 |
| Dec | 36 | 11 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Heraklion collects about 443 mm of rain across 71 wet days — roughly 37 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. January is the wettest month with 68 mm, while July is the driest at just 5 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 44% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 68 | 64 | 54 | 36 | 31 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 38 | 45 | 64 |
| Rain days | 12 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 11 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68 | 12 |
| Feb | 64 | 11 |
| Mar | 54 | 8 |
| Apr | 36 | 6 |
| May | 31 | 4 |
| Jun | 13 | 2 |
| Jul | 5 | 1 |
| Aug | 6 | 1 |
| Sep | 19 | 3 |
| Oct | 38 | 6 |
| Nov | 45 | 7 |
| Dec | 64 | 11 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Heraklion, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around April 20 and lasts for 5.9 months, ending around October 16. The clearest month is July, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 100% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around October 17 and lasts for 6.1 months, ending around April 19. The cloudiest month is December, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 53% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 49 | 52 | 62 | 71 | 81 | 96 | 100 | 100 | 93 | 74 | 58 | 47 |
| Cloudier (%) | 51 | 48 | 38 | 29 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 42 | 53 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49 | 51 |
| Feb | 52 | 48 |
| Mar | 62 | 38 |
| Apr | 71 | 29 |
| May | 81 | 19 |
| Jun | 96 | 4 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 93 | 7 |
| Oct | 74 | 26 |
| Nov | 58 | 42 |
| Dec | 47 | 53 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around June 14, brings about 14 h 24 min of light; the shortest, around December 13, only 9 h 36 min — a swing of roughly 4 h 48 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.9 | 10.7 | 11.7 | 12.9 | 13.8 | 14.3 | 14.1 | 13.3 | 12.2 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 9.7 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 7:33 | 7:14 | 6:37 | 5:53 | 5:20 | 5:09 | 5:20 | 5:43 | 6:07 | 6:32 | 7:01 | 7:27 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:25 | 5:54 | 6:21 | 6:46 | 7:11 | 7:31 | 7:30 | 7:04 | 6:20 | 5:37 | 5:08 | 5:04 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9.9 | 7:33 | 5:25 |
| Feb | 10.7 | 7:14 | 5:54 |
| Mar | 11.7 | 6:37 | 6:21 |
| Apr | 12.9 | 5:53 | 6:46 |
| May | 13.8 | 5:20 | 7:11 |
| Jun | 14.3 | 5:09 | 7:31 |
| Jul | 14.1 | 5:20 | 7:30 |
| Aug | 13.3 | 5:43 | 7:04 |
| Sep | 12.2 | 6:07 | 6:20 |
| Oct | 11.1 | 6:32 | 5:37 |
| Nov | 10.1 | 7:01 | 5:08 |
| Dec | 9.7 | 7:27 | 5:04 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Heraklion averages about 18 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 6 and 30 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 5.7 months, from around Apr 23 to Oct 12. The sunniest month is July, with roughly 30 sunny days (brilliant).
The greyest month is December, down near 7 sunny days — about 76% fewer than the July peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 8 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 21 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 17 | 11 | 7 |
| Sky | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Bright | Bright | Brilliant | Brilliant | Brilliant | Brilliant | Bright | Mixed | Gloomy |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Mixed |
| Feb | 9 | Mixed |
| Mar | 12 | Mixed |
| Apr | 16 | Bright |
| May | 21 | Bright |
| Jun | 27 | Brilliant |
| Jul | 30 | Brilliant |
| Aug | 30 | Brilliant |
| Sep | 25 | Brilliant |
| Oct | 17 | Bright |
| Nov | 11 | Mixed |
| Dec | 7 | Gloomy |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Heraklion, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 4.2 months, from around June 16 to October 21. The muggiest month is August, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 76% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around October 22 to June 15, and January is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 100% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 99 | 82 | 38 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 31 | 69 | 96 |
| Comfortable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 42 | 36 | 21 | 37 | 44 | 27 | 4 |
| Humid (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 48 | 53 | 44 | 24 | 3 | 0 |
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 22 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oppressive (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 82 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun | 38 | 42 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul | 7 | 36 | 48 | 10 | 0 |
| Aug | 2 | 21 | 53 | 22 | 1 |
| Sep | 11 | 37 | 44 | 8 | 0 |
| Oct | 31 | 44 | 24 | 1 | 0 |
| Nov | 69 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec | 96 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Across the year, average wind speed in Heraklion is typically calm, near 9 km/h, and varies little with the seasons.
The windier part of the year lasts 3.0 months, from around Jun 14 to Sep 12. The windiest month is July, averaging about 11 km/h (calm).
The calmer part of the year runs from around Mar 30 to Jun 13, with May the calmest month at about 8 km/h.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | calm |
| Feb | 9 | calm |
| Mar | 9 | calm |
| Apr | 9 | calm |
| May | 8 | calm |
| Jun | 9 | calm |
| Jul | 11 | calm |
| Aug | 10 | calm |
| Sep | 9 | calm |
| Oct | 8 | calm |
| Nov | 8 | calm |
| Dec | 9 | calm |
Hazard calendar for Heraklion
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
Heraklion sees seasonal dust haze (May), heaviest in May.
Best time to visit Heraklion
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Heraklion throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around early November, Heraklion is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Heraklion for general outdoor tourist activities is from early April to mid November, with a peak score in the second week of May.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 3.9 | 4.2 | 5.6 | 7.3 | 8.3 | 7.9 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 6.6 | 4.6 |
| Rating | fair | fair | good | good | ideal | ideal | good | good | ideal | ideal | good | fair |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.9 | fair |
| Feb | 4.2 | fair |
| Mar | 5.6 | good |
| Apr | 7.3 | good |
| May | 8.3 | ideal |
| Jun | 7.9 | ideal |
| Jul | 7.2 | good |
| Aug | 7.3 | good |
| Sep | 8.1 | ideal |
| Oct | 7.8 | ideal |
| Nov | 6.6 | good |
| Dec | 4.6 | fair |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Heraklion for hot-weather activities is from late May to early October, with a peak score in the third week of July.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Heraklion, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around July (highs near 30°C), the essentials are light clothes and sun protection. In the cold season around January (highs near 14°C), pack a warm layer and rain gear.
In July, Heraklion sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.
Sea temperature near Heraklion
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 25°C and coldest in February near 16°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from May 25 to Nov 19 — about 5.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 18 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Cool |
| Feb | 16 | Cool |
| Mar | 16 | Cool |
| Apr | 17 | Cool |
| May | 19 | Cool |
| Jun | 23 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 25 | Warm |
| Aug | 25 | Warm |
| Sep | 25 | Warm |
| Oct | 23 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 20 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 18 | Cool |
UV index (midday) in Heraklion by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Heraklion peaks around July 13 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 3 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 3 | Moderate |
| Mar | 6 | High |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 7 | Very high |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 4 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3 | Moderate |
Average hourly UV index in Heraklion
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in July the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 5.5 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 0 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 2.5 | 0 |
| Mar | 5.5 | 0 |
| Apr | 7 | 4 |
| May | 7.5 | 4 |
| Jun | 8.5 | 5.5 |
| Jul | 8.5 | 5.5 |
| Aug | 8 | 5 |
| Sep | 7 | 4 |
| Oct | 5 | 0 |
| Nov | 2.5 | 0 |
| Dec | 0 | 0 |
Growing season
Heraklion is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Heraklion banks about 2,899 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 24 | 27 | 80 | 169 | 299 | 404 | 478 | 479 | 396 | 303 | 172 | 69 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 24 |
| Feb | 27 |
| Mar | 80 |
| Apr | 169 |
| May | 299 |
| Jun | 404 |
| Jul | 478 |
| Aug | 479 |
| Sep | 396 |
| Oct | 303 |
| Nov | 172 |
| Dec | 69 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Heraklion receives about 5.2 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 2.3 and 8.0 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.1 months, from around Mar 22 to Sep 24. The brightest month is June, averaging about 7.8 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is December, down near 2.3 kWh/m² — roughly 70% less than the June peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 2.7 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 6.3 | 7.1 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 5.7 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 2.3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.7 | Moderate |
| Feb | 3.6 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5.0 | Bright |
| Apr | 6.3 | Intense |
| May | 7.1 | Intense |
| Jun | 7.9 | Intense |
| Jul | 7.8 | Intense |
| Aug | 7.0 | Intense |
| Sep | 5.7 | Bright |
| Oct | 4.1 | Bright |
| Nov | 2.9 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2.3 | Moderate |
Where is Heraklion?
Heraklion sits at 35.3°N, 25.1°E, 60 m above sea level, in Greece. The nearest listed city is Rethymno, 60 km away.
What Heraklion looks like
Topography around Heraklion
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Heraklion.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Heraklion has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 188 m around an average of 49 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 822 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,433 m.
The land around Heraklion is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) within 3 km, water (39%), trees (27%) and grassland (24%) within 16 km, and water (69%) within 80 km.
Greece travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type C / F
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 60% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $26,948
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.7 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 97%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 0.8
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 8.3
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- English
- High
- EF EPI 592
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Heraklion (35.3279°, 25.1434°, elevation 60 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).