Summer wind on the GReek islands (Meltemia winds: What to do? The Survival Guide) Summer's wind:
✍️ I can't share with you the best news about the weather or the earth's climate. The Earth's climate dramatically changed throughout history. It's something we definitely can't deny or ignore and I am sure you are aware of both. The Global Climate System I think it turns (among other things) GReece's summer weather into a tropical one.
What does this mean?
That the " Always Hot GReece's Summer Weather" we - the older GReeks have met till the previous years - from now on will definitely have fluctuations of heat, strong winds and lower temperatures that until a few years ago was considered as autumn.
But what do you do when you have a few days off on the Aegean Islands, the weather is quite windy (or actually the air is soooo strong and a little bit cold) but you still want to go to the sea or swim at a lovely beach?
● First let's separate the GReek summer winds.
There is another result beacause of the strong summer wind if you are spending your vacations on an Ionian island and another effect if you are in any other island of the Aegean sea. And to be honest about if the wind blows wild in the summetime all around Greece, in the Aegean Sea you will have a not so pleasant time but in the Ionian islands, things might be quite better. Because in he Aegean sea there are the Meltemi wind, known also as Etisian wind, a really unpredictable weather that can make it harsh for you to spend carefree vacations just like a stubborn friend would also do (who - by your indulgence - was invited to travel with you).
✒ WHY THE AEGEAN SEA IS BEEN CONSIDERED AS AN UNPREDICTABLE SEA?
● The summer winds my friend, along with the many small islands on the Aegean Sea are responsible for your windy sea and your unpleasant swimm on your favourite GReek beach.
If the Aegean Sea was an open sea, everything would flow smoothly, the winds wouldn't be "trapped" in the hundreds of islands and we wouldn't have to deal with unpredictable phenomena on the weather's report. . However, here in Greece we do have so many islands in the Aegean sea (Thanks God we do! on the other hand), which helps the air to find obstacles and violently forces it to change its way, turn back or search for other ways out to move, creating this summer wind (known as Meltemi) in the sea up on the mountains and on the coastline.
The phenomenon of air that passes between two islands is called "Kanalism" and provides the air with more tension and pressure, while when it rises to the highest points of the island, it also lowering the temperature.
✒ SO WHAT IS ACTUALLY THE MELTEMI WIND?
● The etymology of "Meltemi" for some is of Turkish origin, others claim that it comes from the Latin "Mal tempo" which means "bad weather". The Ancient Greeks, however, called this air "Etissio" (means: Annual - plural: "Etissies") and ranked him in the category of annual winds.
Meltemia winds some times begins quite early on May (called: proima or early Meltemia) and other times might extends until the end of September (late Meltemi). But naturally (if there is any logic left in nature with what we humans have made to the biosphere), Meltemia last from the end of June until the end of August (and yes, as we said before Meltemia winds exist ONLY in the Aegean sea).
✒ HOW TO PREDICT THE WIND BEFORE I PLAN MY VACATIONS?
● How one can predict wind directions and speed on the Aegean sea based on the weather of the West Europe?
If e.g. the western Europe has rainy and low (for the time and each country) seasons temperatures in the summer, then you can arrange your holidays on the Aegean islands. You will not have to face wild winds or a lot of Meltemia winds.
But if you see that the weather in the Western European countries includes extra high temperatures for the season, then my friend you should lock your vacation plans on the Ionian Sea, to save yourself from the hassle and the ''sand attack'' on a sandy beach because the anticyclone of the Azores will favor the low pressure on the eastern Mediterranean sea and this will cause a super annoying wind.
✒ SO WHAT IF?
The Survival Guide
● If you are somehow forced on summer vacations on an Aegean island during a month that is expected a lot of wind (Meltemia), I have provided you some useful tips for you below as your survival guide on the island or anywhere near the coastline or the beach:
✒ WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I WANT TO GO ON THE BEACH?
●It is essential to find out if the wind blows from the North or the South. If the wind blows from the North and you are on an island and you want to swim, you should prefer to go to a beach in the south of the island that might be protected from the air and the waves. If there is a South wind choose the northern beaches and so on.
✒ WHAT TO DO IF THE WIND GETS WILD WHILE I AM ALREADY ON THE BEACH;
● If suddenly the weather gets too windy while you are on the beach try to put your things in a safe place (protected from the air and the possible waves) don't use a sea swan, flamingo, unicorn and so on - especially if the wind blows to the deep - and generally if you choose to swim, stay close th the beach.
