Island Overview
A textbook August day across Crete: no rain from Chania to Sitia, sea temperatures comfortably above 25°C everywhere, and a pronounced split between a cooler north coast under partial cloud and a hot, sun-drenched east and south. UV is high across most of the island by midday.
North Coast vs East and South
The north coast stays in the upper 20s today. Chania reaches 28°C and Rethymno 27.5°C, both partly cloudy with relatively moderate UV values: Rethymno records the island's lowest index at 4.55 and Chania at 5.85. Heraklion edges up to 29.3°C but faces the strongest meltemi on the north coast, with gusts peaking at 27.3 km/h this afternoon.
The east and south tell a hotter story. Makrigialos leads the island at 33.1°C, followed by Elounda at 32.5°C, Ag. Nikolaos at 32.4°C, and Ierapetra at 32.0°C. Ierapetra also records the warmest overnight minimum at 28.8°C. Skies in these areas are mainly clear with UV indices of 8.0 or above.
Mountain Conditions
The Lefka Ori, Psiloritis, and Dikti ranges remain dry throughout the day. Temperatures at altitude are meaningfully cooler than the coast, making morning hikes workable. Exposed ridges should be left before UV peaks around 13:00 local time.
Sea, Wind and UV
Sea temperatures range from 25.4°C at Makrigialos to 27.1°C at Chania. The calmest water is on the south coast: Ierapetra and Makrigialos report swell under 0.4 m. The choppiest conditions are off Chania at 1.5 m. Wind is most felt at Heraklion (27.3 km/h) and Makrigialos (27.0 km/h); all other stations sit below 23 km/h. UV peaks at 8.1 in the east, enough to burn fair unprotected skin within 20 minutes of solar noon.
Swim Verdict
Good to excellent island-wide. The south coast offers the flattest water and the hottest afternoons. North-coast beaches around Heraklion and Hersonissos carry a moderate chop but nothing that rules out a comfortable swim. Sea temperature is above 25°C at every reporting station.
Practical Tip for Today
If you are on the north coast, get to the beach early. The meltemi strengthens through the afternoon, and by 15:00 the combination of wind and blown sand at exposed spots around Heraklion and Hersonissos makes sunbed time less pleasant. A morning swim before 11:00 followed by lunch inland is the sensible plan today.
