Kos is known mainly as a tiny island with beautiful sandy beaches and ideal conditions for water sports. This may be misleading, though – water sports may be fun in a place full of wind, but lounging on a beach may be much less fun when you’re trying to keep the wind from stealing your hat. As such, today we’ll take a look at just how windy Kos is and whether you can relax there in peace.
Is it windy on Kos?
Every Greek island is exposed to gusts of wind. Tourists and mainland residents will certainly feel these winds much more strongly than islanders who are used to it. And on Kos you’ll certainly feel it, as it does get quite windy.
That’s because Kos is affected by the Meltemi wind. It blows on the Aegean Sea from the north, usually starting around May and ending in October. It’s most active during July and August, though, so when people tend to come for holidays. It usually reaches about 4-6 degrees on a Beaufort scale, though it does also sometimes reach about 7-8. If you’re not familiar with the Beaufort scale, 8 degrees can sometimes knock you over.
Kos is also affected by other winds which tend to flow in the low season, spring and autumn. These tend to be much more tame, though, about 2-4 degrees on the Beaufort scale. It’s also less likely that you’re coming over during those months, so let’s focus on the Meltemi wind.
How do you know when Meltemi is approaching?
The Meltemi wind can sometimes appear with literally no signs of warning. Typically, however, we can at least predict some patterns. Firstly, Meltemi tends to come in the afternoon and last until the late evening. There are instances where the wind continues throughout the night and into the next day, though these are rarer.
Otherwise, it’s also said that a sharp drop in humidity, a sudden increase in pressure and the appearance of altocumulus clouds means that the wind will come in about two days. Sailors are good at predicting those sorts of things, though you can also just listen for weather reports.
Which part of Kos is more affected by the Meltemi?
The Meltemi winds tend to blow from the north, so the northern side of the island tends to be the windiest. As such, if you’d like to catch some great winds for windsurfing, the north would be the place. Beware, however, as the strongest Meltemi winds can be very, very strong. Be careful out there.
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