The weather patterns in the Dodecanese Islands Greece

Understanding Winds in the Dodecanese Islands and the Aegean Sea

Hello Sailors, I would like to talk today about winds in the Dodecanese Islands and in the Aegean Sea. In the cruising season, which is normally from May, June to September-October, the wind in the Dodecanese, or in the Aegean, is mainly dominated by the large high pressure that settles on the Western continent, but there is a big influence on local areas.

The Meltemi Wind

The high pressure will give a northerly flow. This is known as the Meltemi, and everybody sailing the Aegean during the summer months will experience this to some degree. The Meltemi, which is normally coming from the north, can be very strong, sometimes exceeding 40 knots. Normally, it is about 25 to 30 knots, quite strong, and you have to live with it. It is not blowing every day. It can blow for five or six days in a row and then settle down. Most days, it’ll blow from the afternoon into the night, dwindle, and become calm, sometimes late at night, till late morning.

Local Wind Variations

However, the directions of the wind can vary according to the area we are talking about. The Dodecanese, which is the eastern part of the Aegean and the northerly flow, already have an eastern quantity. Because of the funnel effect coming from the north on the west side, you’ll have an easterly wind on the east side. You’ll have the wind more westerly.

Wind Effects Near Land

When you are coming close to land, the land has a very big effect. For example, in the channel between Rhodes and Turkey, the wind would be dominantly westerly with a very strong effect on the northern tip of Rhodes, where the wind becomes stronger against the funnel effect in between Rhodes and Turkey. The same will happen along the coast of Kos Island. For example, south of Kos, you will often experience strong northerlies on the northeast side of Kos, but when you pass south of Kos, it’ll be calm until late afternoon when the westerly wind suddenly comes. The same effect will be felt along the coast of Crete.

Winds Around Crete

The island of Crete, in the south Aegean Sea, has a strong mass going from east to west, west to east. The wind there, although the isobars will suggest northerly flow, the winds are dominantly west and northwest. Something to remember!

Land Effect on Winds

Another important thing to know when you are sailing these waters is the land effect. For example, going north from Kos to Samos, if you stay close to the land late afternoon, the land effect will start influencing, and you will feel that the northerly wind is coming down. You may even have suddenly easterly wind coming as offshore wind, which can help you navigate around Samos.

Pressure Systems and Wind Variability

We are talking about the Meltemi, which is the prevalent wind, but sailors should remember that it is not a hundred percent of the time. Winds are affected by the pressure system passing. It is quite possible in this month to have suddenly a low pressure coming across again with the southwesterly wind, with the rain, sometimes, especially in the north again, or complete calm for several days where there is no wind at all until the Meltemi suddenly comes.