Rhodes vs Karpathos: which is sunnier?
🇬🇷 Greece vs 🇬🇷 Greece · 138 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Rhodes and Karpathos are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 3,201 vs 3,177 hours a year. Karpathos has the higher Sunshine Score in 4 of 12 months, Rhodes in 2 (6 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Rhodes | Karpathos | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,201 | 3,177 |
| Sunniest month | July (98/100) | July (98/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 55/100 | 59/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 98/100 | 98/100 |
| Rain / year | 743 mm | 545 mm |
| Warmest sea | 28°C / 82°F | 27°C / 81°F |
| Peak midday UV | 10 (very high) | 10 (very high) |
Rhodes vs Karpathos month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhodes | Karpathos | Rhodes | Karpathos | Rhodes | Karpathos | Rhodes | Karpathos | |
| January | 41 | 45 | 15° | 15° | 167 | 113 | 19° | 19° |
| February | 45 | 48 | 15° | 15° | 112 | 88 | 18° | 18° |
| March | 65 | 59 | 17° | 16° | 63 | 49 | 18° | 17° |
| April | 83 | 77 | 19° | 18° | 41 | 29 | 18° | 18° |
| May | 94 | 95 | 24° | 20° | 22 | 18 | 20° | 20° |
| June | 97 | 97 | 28° | 24° | 6 | 6 | 24° | 23° |
| July | 98 | 98 | 32° | 26° | 3 | 2 | 27° | 25° |
| August | 98 | 98 | 32° | 27° | 3 | 2 | 28° | 27° |
| September | 95 | 95 | 29° | 25° | 18 | 17 | 27° | 26° |
| October | 89 | 89 | 25° | 23° | 52 | 47 | 25° | 25° |
| November | 81 | 86 | 21° | 20° | 95 | 65 | 23° | 23° |
| December | 53 | 58 | 17° | 17° | 161 | 109 | 20° | 20° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Karpathos · Feb Karpathos · Mar Rhodes · Apr Rhodes · 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 55). Daytime highs are similar (17°C vs 17°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Rhodes (average score 81/100 vs 77). Rhodes is the warmer, around 20°C daytime highs vs 18°C.
- June–August: too close to call — Rhodes averages 98/100, Karpathos 98/100. Rhodes is the warmer, around 31°C daytime highs vs 26°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Rhodes averages 92/100, Karpathos 92/100. Rhodes is the warmer, around 27°C daytime highs vs 24°C.
Sea temperature
Rhodes's sea gets warmer: 28°C / 82°F at its peak vs 27°C. Swimmable water (21°C+): Rhodes 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: Rhodes weather by month · Karpathos weather by month · Best time to visit Greece.
More comparisons: Rhodes vs Bodrum · Rhodes vs Dalaman · Rhodes vs Kos · Karpathos vs Heraklion · Karpathos vs Kos · all head-to-heads