Rhodes is predominantly famous for its beautiful beaches, unspoiled nature, great weather and ancient monuments. But you may have also heard of the Meltemi wind blowing through the island during summer. Is it too windy to enjoy a hot day on a beach? How strong is the Meltemi wind? Let’s take a look.
Is it windy on Rhodes?
Practically every island is exposed to winds blowing from the seas and oceans and Rhodes is no exception in that regard. The Meltemi winds are the strong dry northern winds blowing across the Aegean Sea, typically present from May to early October. They’re also referred to as the Etesian winds. These winds can appear with no warning sometimes, erupting during a perfectly clear day – stronger cases can get to 7-8 on the Beaufort scale, meaning that many ferries and boats cannot sail in such conditions. A proper 8-point wind can genuinely throw you off your feet, if you need help perceiving what that means. On most days, though, it does not exceed 5-6 and most days have about 4.
How do you know that a Meltemi is approaching?
As we’ve said, sometimes the wind can come unannounced and there’d be little to no way of predicting that. While we won’t be pretending to be experienced meteorologists or sailors (as they tend to be quite good at predicting the wind), we can observe some general facts.
Firstly, though the winds can occur from May to October, they’re most frequent and powerful when summer is in full force, so July and August. It also tends to start in the early afternoon and last until sunset. It may sometimes continue throughout the night and onto the next day, though that’s a bit rarer. Maybe it will blow the mosquitoes away from Rhodes. 🙂
Apart from that, some say that a drop in humidity, an increase in pressure and the presence of altocumulus clouds foreshadows the Meltemi winds (appearing about 24-36 hours before it starts).
You can also just rely on weather reports, you know. From people who actually know what they’re doing.
Which side of the island is more windy?
Generally, given that it’s a northern wind, it comes from the north. As such, beaches on the north, north-east and north-west are most exposed, with the north-west being particularly windy in our experience.
While the wind may seem like a bit of a party pooper, do remember that the summer season in Rhodes is very, very hot. Though you may have to get used to it at first, you’ll hopefully see how essential it is to the harmonious coexistence of man and heat on Rhodes. It’s also awesome for water sports!
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