First day of May – now is a fine time to be in Crete – yes there are spring showers today and there is a background roar of thunder as I write, but wildflowers are blooming with abandon and it’s a good time to breath deeply of the fine fresh air that nourishes the island.

First day of May – it is also labour day in Europe – so in Greece you can eat in restaurants, sip coffees in cafes and bite into dainty pastries, but you cannot shop!

Wishing for and looking forward to a fabulous, boosting month.

The recent torrential, venomous rainfalls have caused much damage to private and public property, farmland and even causing loss of life. Unnecessary. Or it should in a better ” designed ” world.

As a tribute and we hope, encouragement to those who have been most affected, we show the beauty of the White Mountains of Crete just 2 days after the flooding and mud-gushing, the tips and the peaks showing the first snows of the year

Crete, snow-capped mountains

CreteTravel.com MET REPORT

Per 11.07 AM 19 SEP 06

WED 20 SEP:
- 1-2 Bofor
- Later Stronger from West and north coast (a little)
- Cloudy afternoon in West ? until Maleme
- Low probability of light rain there (west ? to Maleme)

THURS 21 & FRI 22 SEP
- Nice, clear cloudless
- No strong winds, mild breezes only
-
- Friday ? PM ? Weather to worsen ? clouds and

Overnight Rain to:
SAT 23 SEP
- Cloudy with some rain (winds still tame)
- Cooler : High for Sat/Sun 26-27 degrees

SUN 24 SEP
- a Little Cloudy
- chance of rain (not predictable as of 19 Sep forecast)
- again winds very mild

Thought you might like this weather report for a change (it is not slated to become a regular feature!)

This is a scientifically produced weather prediction. However we do not take responsibility for its accuracy – weather can change suddenly due to unexpected factors.

After a few days of ferry strikes in Greece – ferry services have re-commenced activity and we anticipate freshly stocked shelves in shops and supermarkets. The rumbling and discussions continue over pay or disputed terms of work…. Meanhwile farmers, growers and those in the perishable goods businesses and industries can return to business as usual, though many have suffered losses due to delayed or cancelled shipments.

After howling high winds on Thursday and at night into Friday, Crete is under a pall of suspended haze and dust particles (not as bad as it may sound as this is a regular phenomenon), creating a Pasoliniesque-style haze, with the sun fighting through. The result is a rather dazzling bright white, hint-of-pink-tinged sky. Storms in much more southern climes bring this haze north every so often…as an impudent interruption, a contrast to our normally clear air and pure skies.
The better part of this is that the southern winds delivering this strange modification of vistas, bring warm air, temperatures meandering in the teens and early twenties (Celsius of course ! ).

A Cretan restaurant we hope to try – Alatsi in Athens.
Using ingredients and recipes from Crete – sounds authentic and tasty – try it and enjoy at Vrasida no.13 near the Hilton hotel (phone 210 721 0501)

Snow fell “all at once” as it always seems to do….much of the country was snow-covered to some degree – including a late-to-work-because-of-the-snow Athens on Tuesday.
Mountains and hilltops over 300 metres were snow covered even in Crete. Crete received months of rain in a night and a day, causing temporary lakes to appear in some parts of Chania while some south and eastern areas saw little of the wet stuff.

Crete has had few rather cold days with daytime temperatures sometimes straining to exceed 6 degrees centigrade. Things, the meteorological soothsayers tell us, will start warming up on Thursday
Perhaps integrity will descend across the land on Friday….! Ho Hum.

Updated in October 2005 is the feature on Crete’s weather which shows this year by month, typical monthly weather you can expect and an archive of weather as experienced in Crete in 2003 and 2004.

http://www.cretetravel.com/weather_Crete.htm

It is early afternoon on 10 October and raining….but then we have not had a true “rainy day” for months. Crete offers wonderful, sometimes dramatic – in a tame sort of way, weather, which is a bit on the damp side in winter (humid but not by any means often rainy). It is most enjoyably mild to hot and sunny from April to the end of September and beyond.
Many Christmas day lunches can be had outside if you are in some of the mildest spots on the island.

According to that bastion of science fact, Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper, the UK Meteorological office predicts a cold winter.

December and January may just be warmer all the way south in Europe’s warmer climes – Crete!

The Mirror’s Martin Fricker says: The Met Office has sent a severe weather warning to energy firms, predicting “significantly colder than average” December and January (UK Daily Mirror 19 September 2005)

September has repeatedly proven to be a great month to visit Crete – crowds are gone, but you are not alone, sizzling, scorching heat has faded, but it’s still hot and evenings are warm and ideal for those by-the-water evening dinners.

Some of the most special small hotels are pretty full in September but many of the normal cookie-cutter types have rooms to spare.
This is the month for the independent traveller, those just setting out to make the best trip they can within a reasonable budget and those just setting out again to enjoy the best and most lavish but characterful treats the big island has to offer.

Who offers the sort of expert, first hand, on-the-spot, friendly, knowledgeable, wholesome, honest advice and suggestions so at least you know you will stay in a fabulous small hotel or a ticklishly delightful villa, or even a spruce studio on a quite and isolated beach ? Who knows Crete but will understand you? Who cares that you really enjoy this massive offering of an island?

A hint – a big hint – http://www.CreteHotelRooms.com and the http://www.CreteTravel.com team

Blowing our own trumpet? Well if it\’s true – flaunt it! We’d love to see you happily wandering the mountain roads and slowly winding your way down to that hotel you will always treasure.
We love what we do when we help you and it shows – read what others say> http://www.crete-hotels-rooms.com/Help/testimonials.htm

Have a Splendid Labor day and wherever you are…have a great stay!

Chania, Crete: A smart new marble-clad fountain has become a new landmark at the bottom of the main Halidon Street – the road most travel or walk down, to get to the Venetian Harbour.

In the square at the “corner” of the old harbour, the fountain now splashes and gurgles…and by suggestion cools visitors to the area.
With smart marble surrounds this looks set to become a “meet me at the fountain in Chania” landmark.

As temperatures have been topping 30 degrees celsius for the last 5 days, a toe or two has been pleasantly cooled by the new attraction!

From June 15 Crete has been supplied yet again with “full” on the temperature volume control.

Daily temperatures are 31-33 degrees with the nights straining to fall below 20 degrees (all in celsius).

Bright sun, that true, deep south Mediterannean feel, is with us again.

An ongoing recent “history” of the weather in Crete and typical temperatures for each month are at http://www.cretetravel.com/weather . Lower down on the same page, are current readings for Chania and Heraklion.