Heraklion vs Karpathos: which is sunnier?
🇬🇷 Greece vs 🇬🇷 Greece · 178 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Karpathos is the sunnier overall: about 3,177 hours of sunshine a year to Heraklion's 2,929. Heraklion has the higher Sunshine Score in 2 of 12 months; the other 10 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 | Karpathos | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,929 | 3,177 |
| Sunniest month | July (96/100) | July (98/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 60/100 | 59/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 96/100 | 98/100 |
| Rain / year | 463 mm | 545 mm |
| Warmest sea | 28°C / 82°F | 27°C / 81°F |
| Peak midday UV | 9 (very high) | 10 (very high) |
Heraklion vs Karpathos month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heraklion | Karpathos | Heraklion | Karpathos | Heraklion | Karpathos | Heraklion | Karpathos | |
| January | 47 | 45 | 15° | 15° | 88 | 113 | 17° | 19° |
| February | 48 | 48 | 15° | 15° | 75 | 88 | 17° | 18° |
| March | 66 | 59 | 17° | 16° | 42 | 49 | 17° | 17° |
| April | 84 | 77 | 19° | 18° | 23 | 29 | 18° | 18° |
| May | 94 | 95 | 23° | 20° | 15 | 18 | 20° | 20° |
| June | 95 | 97 | 26° | 24° | 5 | 6 | 24° | 23° |
| July | 96 | 98 | 28° | 26° | 2 | 2 | 27° | 25° |
| August | 96 | 98 | 29° | 27° | 4 | 2 | 28° | 27° |
| September | 93 | 95 | 27° | 25° | 18 | 17 | 26° | 26° |
| October | 88 | 89 | 23° | 23° | 46 | 47 | 24° | 25° |
| November | 86 | 86 | 20° | 20° | 59 | 65 | 21° | 23° |
| December | 60 | 58 | 17° | 17° | 86 | 109 | 19° | 20° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar Heraklion · Apr Heraklion · May even · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct even · Nov even · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Heraklion averages 60/100, Karpathos 59/100. Daytime highs are similar (17°C vs 17°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Heraklion (average score 81/100 vs 77). Heraklion is the warmer, around 20°C daytime highs vs 18°C.
- June–August: too close to call — Heraklion averages 96/100, Karpathos 98/100. Heraklion is the warmer, around 28°C daytime highs vs 26°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Heraklion averages 91/100, Karpathos 92/100. Daytime highs are similar (25°C vs 24°C).
Sea temperature
Heraklion's sea gets warmer: 28°C / 82°F at its peak vs 27°C. Swimmable water (21°C+): Heraklion about 6 months a year, Karpathos about 6 months a year. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Heraklion weather by month · Karpathos weather by month · Best time to visit Greece.
More comparisons: Heraklion vs Palma de Mallorca · Heraklion vs Chaniá · Heraklion vs Paphos · Karpathos vs Rhodes · Karpathos vs Kos · all head-to-heads