Thessaloniki at a glance
- Best time
- Apr – Jun, Sep – Oct
- Warmest month
- Jul · 32°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 26.8°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,760 h
- Rain a year
- 604 mm
- Climate
- Temperate
- Time zone
- UTC+2 / UTC+3
- Elevation
- 0 m
Climate in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki has a temperate climate with warm summers and cool winters. July is the warmest month with average highs of 32 °C, while January is the coolest at 9 °C. With around 2,760 hours of sunshine a year, Thessaloniki is sunny; July is the sunniest month with 11.6 hours a day.
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Excellent
Best time to visit: April – June, September – October
What is the weather like in Thessaloniki in October?
In October, Thessaloniki is mild: daytime highs average 21 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sea averages 21.3 °C – refreshing for a swim. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 69 mm. All in all, October is an excellent month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 11 h 12 min07:38 – 18:50
- UV index
- 4 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 1 daydew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 13 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 49 %on average
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
- Time zone
- UTC+3Europe/Athens
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %50 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %79 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- A jumper for the evenings
Sea temperature in Thessaloniki
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 20.4 – 22.6 °C
Swimming season: Jun – Oct
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Thessaloniki ranges from 12.9 °C in February to 26.8 °C in August. It is warm enough for a comfortable swim (20 °C and more) from June to October.
The sea warms up slowly: it is warmest in August, while the air already peaks in July. From October to February the sea is even warmer than the afternoon air. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in August, eight out of ten years were between 25.9 and 27.5 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 13.7° | 12.7° | 14.8° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 12.9° | 12.1° | 13.5° | cold |
| MarchMar | 13.3° | 12.3° | 14.0° | cold |
| AprilApr | 15.1° | 14.0° | 15.9° | cold |
| MayMay | 19.0° | 17.7° | 19.9° | fresh |
| JuneJun | 23.3° | 22.3° | 24.5° | pleasant |
| JulyJul | 26.0° | 25.1° | 27.0° | warm |
| AugustAug | 26.8° | 25.9° | 27.5° | warm |
| SeptemberSep | 24.7° | 23.7° | 25.7° | pleasant |
| OctoberOct | 21.3° | 20.4° | 22.6° | refreshing |
| NovemberNov | 18.2° | 17.1° | 19.2° | fresh |
| DecemberDec | 15.5° | 14.4° | 16.3° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Thessaloniki
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 6.0 of 11.2 hours of daylight in Thessaloniki, 54 % of the day.
Sunshine hours count the time with bright, direct sunshine (WMO definition, estimated from model data); daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain in Thessaloniki: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Thessaloniki has about 7 rainy days with 69 mm of rain in total.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 34 | 9° | 2° | 13.7° | 5.2 h | 9 | 63 |
| FebruaryFeb | 46 | 11° | 3° | 12.9° | 5.8 h | 9 | 54 |
| MarchMar | 63 | 15° | 6° | 13.3° | 6.7 h | 9 | 64 |
| AprilApr | 89 | 19° | 10° | 15.1° | 7.8 h | 7 | 42 |
| MayMay | 94 | 24° | 15° | 19.0° | 8.7 h | 6 | 39 |
| JuneJun | 86 | 29° | 20° | 23.3° | 11.0 h | 5 | 22 |
| JulyJul | 71 | 32° | 22° | 26.0° | 11.6 h | 3 | 19 |
| AugustAug | 73 | 31° | 22° | 26.8° | 10.4 h | 3 | 17 |
| SeptemberSep | 94 | 26° | 18° | 24.7° | 8.0 h | 5 | 47 |
| OctoberOct | 84 | 21° | 13° | 21.3° | 6.0 h | 7 | 69 |
| NovemberNov | 63 | 16° | 8° | 18.2° | 4.7 h | 9 | 76 |
| DecemberDec | 35 | 11° | 3° | 15.5° | 4.6 h | 10 | 93 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)
40.64° N, 22.93° E · 0 m · Europe/Athens
Best time to visit Thessaloniki
The best time to visit Thessaloniki is from April to June and from September to October. For a beach holiday with the sea above 21 °C, go from June to September. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from April to May and from September to November. The wettest month is December with 93 mm of precipitation.
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Thessaloniki for you.
Your best months: May
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
Jun – Sep
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Apr – May, Sep – Nov
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Thessaloniki month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
34January9° · Sea 14° · 5 h
In January, Thessaloniki is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sea averages 13.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 63 mm. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in January46February11° · Sea 13° · 6 h
In February, Thessaloniki is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 12.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 54 mm. All in all, February is a so-so month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in February63March15° · Sea 13° · 7 h
In March, Thessaloniki is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 13.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 64 mm in total. All in all, March is a good month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in March89April19° · Sea 15° · 8 h
In April, Thessaloniki is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 15.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 42 mm. All in all, April is an excellent month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in April94May24° · Sea 19° · 9 h
In May, Thessaloniki is warm: daytime highs average 24 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. The sea averages 19.0 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 39 mm. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in May86June29° · Sea 23° · 11 h
In June, Thessaloniki is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 20 °C. The sea averages 23.3 °C – pleasant for swimming. With around 11 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 5 days bring 22 mm in total. On about 11 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, June is an excellent month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in June71July32° · Sea 26° · 12 h
In July, Thessaloniki is hot: daytime highs average 32 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. The sea averages 26.0 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. With around 12 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 19 mm in total. On about 23 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, July is a good month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in July73August31° · Sea 27° · 10 h
In August, Thessaloniki is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. The sea averages 26.8 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 17 mm in total. On about 22 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, August is a good month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in August94September26° · Sea 25° · 8 h
In September, Thessaloniki is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 18 °C. The sea averages 24.7 °C – pleasant for swimming. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain falls on about 5 days, adding up to 47 mm. All in all, September is an excellent month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in September84October21° · Sea 21° · 6 h
In October, Thessaloniki is mild: daytime highs average 21 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sea averages 21.3 °C – refreshing for a swim. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 69 mm. All in all, October is an excellent month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in October63November16° · Sea 18° · 5 h
In November, Thessaloniki is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 18.2 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 76 mm in total. All in all, November is a good month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in November35December11° · Sea 16° · 5 h
In December, Thessaloniki is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 15.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 93 mm in total. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki in DecemberPlanning a trip to Thessaloniki
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 3 h 5 min
- Distance
- 2,150 km
- Time zone
- UTC+3
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Thessaloniki
When is the best time to visit Thessaloniki?
The best time to visit Thessaloniki is from April to June and from September to October. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Thessaloniki?
The sea temperature in Thessaloniki ranges from 12.9 °C in February to 26.8 °C in August. It is warm enough for a comfortable swim (20 °C and more) from June to October.
Can you swim in Thessaloniki in October?
Yes. In October the sea averages 21.3 °C – refreshing for a swim.
What is the warmest month in Thessaloniki?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C and nights around 22 °C. January is the coolest month at 9 °C.
When does it rain most in Thessaloniki?
The wettest month is December with 93 mm of precipitation. The driest month is August with 17 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Thessaloniki get?
Thessaloniki gets around 2,760 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 11.6 hours a day; in December there are 4.6 hours a day.
What time zone is Thessaloniki in?
Thessaloniki uses the time zone Europe/Athens: UTC+2 in January and UTC+3 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Thessaloniki?
A nonstop flight from London to Thessaloniki takes about 3 h 5 min, for a straight-line distance of about 2,150 km.
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