Heraklion vs Chaniá: which is sunnier?
🇬🇷 Greece vs 🇬🇷 Greece · 96 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Heraklion and Chaniá are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 2,929 vs 2,895 hours a year. Heraklion has the higher Sunshine Score in 6 of 12 months; the other 6 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Heraklion | Chaniá | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,929 | 2,895 |
| Sunniest month | July (96/100) | July (96/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 60/100 | 52/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 96/100 | 95/100 |
| Rain / year | 463 mm | 507 mm |
| Warmest sea | 28°C / 82°F | 28°C / 82°F |
| Peak midday UV | 9 (very high) | 9 (very high) |
Heraklion vs Chaniá month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heraklion | Chaniá | Heraklion | Chaniá | Heraklion | Chaniá | Heraklion | Chaniá | |
| January | 47 | 39 | 15° | 14° | 88 | 94 | 17° | 17° |
| February | 48 | 40 | 15° | 14° | 75 | 85 | 17° | 16° |
| March | 66 | 59 | 17° | 16° | 42 | 45 | 17° | 17° |
| April | 84 | 76 | 19° | 18° | 23 | 24 | 18° | 18° |
| May | 94 | 93 | 23° | 22° | 15 | 16 | 20° | 19° |
| June | 95 | 95 | 26° | 25° | 5 | 4 | 24° | 24° |
| July | 96 | 96 | 28° | 28° | 2 | 2 | 27° | 27° |
| August | 96 | 95 | 29° | 28° | 4 | 4 | 28° | 28° |
| September | 93 | 93 | 27° | 26° | 18 | 17 | 26° | 26° |
| October | 88 | 87 | 23° | 22° | 46 | 51 | 24° | 24° |
| November | 86 | 76 | 20° | 19° | 59 | 70 | 21° | 21° |
| December | 60 | 52 | 17° | 16° | 86 | 95 | 19° | 19° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Heraklion · Feb Heraklion · Mar Heraklion · Apr Heraklion · May even · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct even · Nov Heraklion · Dec Heraklion.
When to pick which
- November–February: Heraklion (average score 60/100 vs 52). Daytime highs are similar (17°C vs 16°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Heraklion (average score 81/100 vs 76). Daytime highs are similar (20°C vs 19°C).
- June–August: too close to call — Heraklion averages 96/100, Chaniá 95/100. Daytime highs are similar (28°C vs 27°C).
- September–October: too close to call — Heraklion averages 91/100, Chaniá 90/100. Daytime highs are similar (25°C vs 24°C).
Sea temperature
Both seas peak at 28°C / 82°F. Swimmable water (21°C+): Heraklion about 6 months a year, Chaniá about 6 months a year. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Heraklion weather by month · Chaniá weather by month · Best time to visit Greece.
More comparisons: Heraklion vs Palma de Mallorca · Heraklion vs Paphos · Heraklion vs Karpathos · Chaniá vs Mykonos · Chaniá vs Santorini · all head-to-heads