Rethymno weather in January

In January, Rethymno sees average daytime highs of 13°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 97 mm of precipitation across 14.1 wet days and about 9.9 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 13°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of January to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Rethymno's 11th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Rethymno's year-round climate.

Daytime high
13°
12th warmest
Overnight low
2nd coldest
Precipitation
97 mm
14.1 wet days
Daylight
9 h 54 min
7:36 AM – 5:27 PM
Cloud cover
60%
11th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.62 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.2
out of 10

Rethymno is city in Crete, Greece.

Density
82/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 13°C through the month.

A typical January day in Rethymno reaches about 13°C in the afternoon and slips back to 8°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 9°C and 15°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C cooler than December and on par with February.

10°15°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1138
2138
3138
4138
5138
6138
7138
8138
9138
10138
11138
12138
13138
14138
15138
16138
17138
18138
19138
20138
21138
22138
23128
24128
25128
26128
27128
28128
29128
30128
31128

Rethymno weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan13° / 9714.10.59.93.2
Feb13° / 8712.30.610.73.3
Mar14° / 629.50.211.74.4
Apr17° / 12°346012.96.5
May22° / 15°233.7013.88.2
Jun26° / 19°61.3014.39.1
Jul27° / 22°30.6014.19.0
Aug28° / 22°30.7013.38.9
Sep26° / 20°172.8012.28.7
Oct22° / 16°486.4011.17.6
Nov18° / 13°699.6010.15.8
Dec14° / 10°10113.70.19.73.8

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
24159
34159
44258
54159
64159
74159
84258
94159
104060
114159
124159
134060
144060
154060
164060
173961
184060
194060
204159
214159
224258
234357
244357
254456
264456
274654
284654
294654
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Rethymno gets around 97 mm of rain and snow over 14.1 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 45% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1481
2481
3482
4472
5472
6462
7462
8462
9452
10452
11442
12442
13432
14431
15441
16441
17441
18441
19451
20451
21451
22451
23451
24451
25451
26441
27441
28441
29431
30431
31431

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in January

Winds average 9 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 42 min at the start of January to 10 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:36 AM to 7:29 AM, and sunset from 5:15 PM to 5:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:365:15
29.77:365:15
39.77:365:16
49.77:365:17
59.77:365:18
69.77:365:18
79.77:365:19
89.77:365:20
99.77:365:21
109.87:365:22
119.87:365:23
129.87:365:23
139.87:365:24
149.87:365:25
159.87:365:26
169.97:365:27
179.97:355:28
189.97:355:29
199.97:355:30
209.97:355:31
2110.07:345:32
2210.07:345:33
2310.07:335:34
2410.07:335:35
2510.17:325:36
2610.17:325:37
2710.17:315:38
2810.17:315:39
2910.27:305:40
3010.27:305:41
3110.27:295:42

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.62 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.22 kWh/m² to a high of 7.92 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.62 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.5Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.5Moderate
132.5Moderate
142.6Moderate
152.6Moderate
162.6Moderate
172.6Moderate
182.6Moderate
192.7Moderate
202.7Moderate
212.7Moderate
222.8Moderate
232.8Moderate
242.8Moderate
252.8Moderate
262.9Moderate
272.9Moderate
282.9Moderate
292.9Moderate
303.0Moderate
313.0Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Rethymno

In seasonPeak

In January, Rethymno sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Rethymno's rainy season runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rethymno sees seasonal dust haze (May), heaviest in May.

Rainy season
Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Rethymno?

Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.2
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Rethymno.

What to pack for Rethymno in January

From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In January, Rethymno sees daytime highs around 13°C and nights near 8°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: a warm layer. About 14 days see rain.

rain geara warm layer

Sea temperature near Rethymno in January

The nearest coast averages about 16°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 26°C and coldest in February near 16°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 25 to Nov 24 — about 6 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan16Cool
Feb16Cool
Mar16Cool
Apr17Cool
May19Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul25Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct23Refreshing
Nov21Refreshing
Dec18Cool

UV index in Rethymno in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Rethymno peaks around July 13 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 10Jan 11UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar6High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Rethymno in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Rethymno is worst in April — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (September, 8 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1215 µg/m³Sep 218 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May12Good
Jun9Good
Jul9Good
Aug10Good
Sep8Good
Oct8Good
Nov11Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Rethymno?

Rethymno sits at 35.4°N, 24.5°E, 14 m above sea level, in Greece. The nearest listed city is Chania, 44 km away.

ChaniaHeraklionFiraOiaParosNaxosMykonosSparta

Topography around Rethymno

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Rethymno.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Rethymno has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 329 m around an average of 64 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 842 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,432 m.

The land around Rethymno is covered by water (44%) and trees (29%) within 3 km, water (47%), trees (25%) and grassland (21%) within 16 km, and water (66%) within 80 km.

3 km
329 m
16 km
842 m
80 km
2,432 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Chania 44 km · Heraklion 60 km · Fira 145 km · Oia 146 km · Paros 200 km · Naxos 209 km · Mykonos 243 km · Sparta 265 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
other 3%Muslim 2%

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 Rethymno (35.3655°, 24.4823°, elevation 14 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. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).