Crete weather in January

Crete averages 15°C by day and 10°C at night in January, with the sea at 17°C and about 85 mm of rain in the month. That is about 2°C cooler than December.

Day

15°C

Night

10°C

Sea

17°C

Rain

85 mm

Flight from London

3½h

What January feels like

January is mild in Crete: good for exploring, not reliably beach weather.

The sea is 17°C: cold for swimming, so plan on a heated pool.

Expect some rainy spells: about 85 mm falls in the month.

That is 7°C warmer than an average January day in London.

Of the 56 sun destinations we track, Crete is the #50 warmest in January, and #17 of 23 within 5½ hours of the UK.

Comparing places? See the warmest place in Greece in winter for every winter month, place by place.

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Want it warmer in January?

These are hotter than Crete this month for at most an hour and a half more flying:

Crete weather by month

January is highlighted. Compare with December and February, or see the full year in Crete.

MonthDayNightSeaRain
January15°C10°C17°C85 mm
February16°C11°C16°C66 mm
March17°C12°C17°C64 mm
April19°C14°C18°C29 mm
May23°C17°C20°C34 mm
June27°C21°C24°C8 mm
July30°C24°C27°C6 mm
August30°C24°C27°C10 mm
September27°C22°C26°C30 mm
October23°C18°C24°C51 mm
November20°C16°C21°C62 mm
December17°C12°C19°C111 mm

Crete in January: quick answers

Is Crete hot in January?

January is mild in Crete: good for exploring, not reliably beach weather. Average highs are 15°C and lows 10°C.

Can you swim in Crete in January?

The sea is 17°C: cold for swimming, so plan on a heated pool.

Does it rain in Crete in January?

Expect some rainy spells: about 85 mm falls in the month.

What is the warmest month in Crete?

July, at an average high of 30°C. The coolest is January at 15°C.

How long is the flight to Crete from the UK?

About 3½h direct from London, estimated from the 2,632 km distance. Check your airline for exact times.

Still choosing? See where is hot in January for every destination ranked by temperature, sea and flight time.

How we measured this

Averages of every day in January from 2016 to 2025, from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive (ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis). Sea temperature is the 2023 to 2025 average from the Open-Meteo marine archive. Rain is the average monthly total. Reanalysis describes an area about 25 km across, so sheltered resorts can run a degree or two warmer. Flight time is a distance-based estimate from London Heathrow.

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