Water temperature in Crete, month by month

The sea around Crete is coldest in late winter, at roughly 16 to 17 °C, and warmest in late summer, at roughly 25 to 26 °C. It warms slowly through spring, is properly warm from June, and holds its heat well into autumn: October water is usually warmer than May water, which surprises people who plan by air temperature.

These are typical surface temperatures for the south coast, not a forecast. A particular week can be a degree or two either side, and a few metres down it is often cooler than at the surface, especially in early summer before the warm layer has deepened.

The table shows typical ranges for the water off Plakias and the wetsuit we would suggest for a dive of normal length. Snorkellers in the sun at the surface usually feel warmer than divers, and anyone who feels the cold should go one step thicker.

In high summer a 3 mm suit is plenty for diving, and some people snorkel in a shorty or without a suit at all. In late spring and again in late autumn, a 5 mm suit is the comfortable choice. In the cold months, 7 mm, and a hood is welcome. The table above follows that logic.

Cold is the thing that ends dives early, not air. A diver who is warm breathes slower, stays relaxed and enjoys the second dive as much as the first. Equipment is included with us, so there is no reason to be cold to save money: tell us if you feel it, and we will sort out a thicker suit.

Clear water is what this coast is known for. On a good day visibility often runs past thirty metres, and on an ordinary one you still see the shape of the reef long before you reach it. The south coast faces away from the weather that roughens the north of the island, so calm, clear mornings are the norm rather than the exception.

Two things reduce it. A few days of wind from the south push swell onto this coast and stir up the shallows, and in spring there can be more life in the water, which clouds it slightly. Both pass. When a site is poor, we dive a different one: we know three well enough to choose by the wind.

For warm water and long, easy dives, late summer and early autumn: the sea is at its warmest from August into October, the crowds thin after the school holidays, and the water keeps its heat after the air has cooled. June is a good compromise, warm enough for most people in a 5 mm or 3 mm suit and quieter than August.

Earlier and later in the year the water is cooler and the days are shorter, and the diving is still good for anyone properly dressed for it. Whether we are running on your dates is a question for us rather than for this page: message us with your dates, and we will tell you honestly whether we are diving and what the water is likely to be.