Kos vs Karpathos: which is sunnier?
🇬🇷 Greece vs 🇬🇷 Greece · 153 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Kos and Karpathos are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 3,218 vs 3,177 hours a year. Karpathos 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
| Kos | Karpathos | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,218 | 3,177 |
| Sunniest month | July (98/100) | July (98/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 47/100 | 59/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 98/100 | 98/100 |
| Rain / year | 632 mm | 545 mm |
| Warmest sea | 26°C / 79°F | 27°C / 81°F |
| Peak midday UV | 10 (very high) | 10 (very high) |
Kos vs Karpathos month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kos | Karpathos | Kos | Karpathos | Kos | Karpathos | Kos | Karpathos | |
| January | 37 | 45 | 14° | 15° | 134 | 113 | 19° | 19° |
| February | 40 | 48 | 14° | 15° | 99 | 88 | 18° | 18° |
| March | 51 | 59 | 15° | 16° | 58 | 49 | 18° | 17° |
| April | 69 | 77 | 17° | 18° | 37 | 29 | 18° | 18° |
| May | 94 | 95 | 20° | 20° | 21 | 18 | 20° | 20° |
| June | 97 | 97 | 24° | 24° | 5 | 6 | 23° | 23° |
| July | 98 | 98 | 26° | 26° | 1 | 2 | 25° | 25° |
| August | 98 | 98 | 27° | 27° | 1 | 2 | 26° | 27° |
| September | 95 | 95 | 25° | 25° | 18 | 17 | 26° | 26° |
| October | 90 | 89 | 22° | 23° | 43 | 47 | 25° | 25° |
| November | 68 | 86 | 18° | 20° | 88 | 65 | 23° | 23° |
| December | 44 | 58 | 15° | 17° | 127 | 109 | 21° | 20° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Karpathos · Feb Karpathos · Mar Karpathos · Apr Karpathos · May even · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct even · Nov Karpathos · Dec Karpathos.
When to pick which
- November–February: Karpathos (average score 59/100 vs 47). Karpathos is the warmer, around 17°C daytime highs vs 15°C. See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Karpathos (average score 77/100 vs 71). Daytime highs are similar (17°C vs 18°C).
- June–August: too close to call — Kos averages 98/100, Karpathos 98/100. Daytime highs are similar (26°C vs 26°C).
- September–October: too close to call — Kos averages 93/100, Karpathos 92/100. Daytime highs are similar (24°C vs 24°C).
Sea temperature
Karpathos's sea gets warmer: 27°C / 81°F at its peak vs 26°C. Swimmable water (21°C+): Kos about 7 months a year, Karpathos about 6 months a year. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Kos weather by month · Karpathos weather by month · Best time to visit Greece.
More comparisons: Kos vs Rhodes · Kos vs Bodrum · Kos vs Samos · Karpathos vs Heraklion · Karpathos vs Rhodes · all head-to-heads